Harry and Sodor – The Magic of Normality
by Pixel and Stephanie Forever
Summary: When Harry is threatened with imprisonment by Kingsley Shaklebolt so he can be kept "safe" for the next dark Lord, Harry decides to go into self imposed exile on the island of Sodor. After helping out during a major accident, he ends up getting a job on the North Western Railway, enjoys normality and makes friends of both humans and engines alike. Rated "M" for future chapters...
1. Self-Imposed Exile

**Self Imposed Exile**

Harry Potter, saviour of the magical half of the country simply stared in utter confusion and anger at the dark skinned man sat across from him. The news he had been given had floored him and given rise to great anger – rightly so after all Harry had done for the country.

"I was under the impression that you were the Minister… Could you not have had this stopped?" he asked Kingsley Shaklebolt. "Even though I am the one who brought down Voldemort, smashed his followers, liberated Britain from tyranny and slavery – and they want me jailed for it?" Harry stared at the man. "Did I miss that part in the prophecy?" he asked sarcastically.

"It is out of my hands. If I don't do this, Harry, my time in office will be limited" Shaklebolt replied. "And after all… You did kill a number of Purebloods and higher ranking Half-Bloods"

"So you'd rather imprison me on the say so of a few old families that were on the losing side…?" Harry used both hands to flip the table up and over – sending paperwork, ink bottles, quills and all sorts flying all over the place. "You know what, bollocks to you. I'm out of here, and it might be a long time until you see me again"

"What do you mean?"

"Exactly what I mean, Minister Shaklebolt. I am going to leave this building, go have a nice little chat with the Goblins to have them call in all the loans the Potter Family has made over the years, close down those business I so choose and then turn my back on the Magical community except for those occasions I choose to attend" Harry turned back to look at the former Auror who was pinned to the floor by the contents of the desk and the desk itself. "Perhaps I should have let Tom win…" he said darkly, then he turned round and left the Ministry.

# # # # #

"I don't see what the problem is" Ron said. "I mean, if the Minister says you have to go to jail, then I guess he has to be right"

"And what if he is wrong?" asked Hermione.

"The Minister is never wrong" Ron said back.

"Does Sirius Black ring a bell…?" Harry sipped his whiskey.

"So what do you plan to do, Harry?" Hermione asked.

"Well right now the Goblins are finding out who and what owes me money. Once they have done that they will call in those loans, recover every single penny and then close all the businesses I own or have the majority shares in"

"You can't do that" said Ron. His face started to go the same colour as his infamous Weasley hair.

"Why not?"

"Well…" Ron faltered. "Because I said you can't"

"Because _you_ said?" Harry smirked. "Ron, you are a guest in this house and of the Potter family – do not piss me off" and he withdrew his wand.

"Don't you dare to pull your wand on me" Ron jumped to his feet. "Under the authority granted to me by the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, I hereby place you under arrest for attempted assault of an Auror. Hand over your wand, Prisoner Potter"

"Ron" Harry's eyes turned icy cold. "Ron, get out of my house under your own power before I make it so that you never walk again" and the two Aurors looked at each other – both ready for combat.

"What about you, Mione?" Ron asked, flickering a look to the young woman.

"I'm with Harry on this one" she said. "Harry has done nothing but sacrifice his childhood, put himself in terrible danger, died once… And this is how the magical community thanks him? Yes, he killed people, but he only did it in battle and only those who were attacking him. This is nothing more than Pureblood supremacy trying to raise its head again"

"But Purebloods _have_ to be the top – it is our right"

"Rights have to be earned" Hermione said.

"What would you know about that sort of thing, Mudblood?" and Hermione paled and gasped – then watched as Harry blasted Ron off his feet and into a wall.

"You had better get that idiot to the hospital, Hermione. By the time he comes round, I will be gone from here" Harry said, checking to see if Ron was alive or not.

"Where are you going?" Hermione asked as she got her things together.

"Whilst I was talking to the Goblins, I asked them to look for a small house or something. Nothing _too_ small, of course, a bedroom for me, a few guest rooms, bathroom, toilet, living room, kitchen, library and a garden front and back"

"How are you going to get around?"

"Got a car in the garage" replied Harry. "You see, Hermione, I've spent far too long around magic – I want to go back to how it was before I went to Hogwarts"

"You mean you are going to live with the Dursleys?" Hermione raised a bemused eyebrow.

"Not that far back" he conceded with a chuckle. "No, I want to spend time away from magic and get to know what a real life is like. Of course, I'll use magic as it is a part of my very being but I want to get out there and have a job"

"Not simply as something to do" Hermione nodded.

"Yeah… I know that I have more money than I could possibly spend in my lifetime, but I have done enough shit and enough rubbish to jump through any more pureblood hoops. No more running – I aim to misbehave"

"When do you plan to leave?" Hermione grabbed Ron – ready for the transportation to St Mungos.

"Tonight. I have Kreacher packing stuff away to be put in either the Potter vaults or taken to the new house. The Goblins are going to take me over there after dinner"

"I see" Hermione hesitated. "You will keep in touch, right?"

"Of course I will" Harry replied with a half smile. "It might not be for a while, though, but I'll always give help to those that need it – especially my friends" and Hermione nodded before turning on the spot and taking Ron for medical treatment. After a minute of staring at the spot sadly, he turned away and went into the kitchen where Kreacher was sat having a little bit to eat. The elf tried to stand the moment that Harry walked in, but Harry waved him back to his place.

"Can I do something for you, Master Harry?" he asked slowly.

"Have the Goblins delivered the new address yet?"

"Yes… They left a letter bearing all of the deeds and entitlements" and Harry looked to see a small letter sitting on a file marked 'Awdry Manor' – the name of the place he had chosen to live in.

"You have a choice to make, Kreacher" Harry said, picking up the file and opening it.

"Me?" asked the elf confusedly.

"You may either stay here and take care of this house, you may go to work at the Hogwarts kitchens or you can come to the island with me" and the elf looked very thoughtful for a short time.

"I'd like to come with you, Master Harry" he said.

"Good. Now, you have been a good and loyal elf all these years, what with protecting the house and keeping that locket safe, so I will allow you to do one thing before we leave – you decide what it is"

"I'm just a house elf, sir, I have no wants or desires"

"Oh, now we both know that is not true… There must have been something that you have always wanted to do – something you have dreamed about and thought of doing in private"

"Well" said Kreacher slowly, "There is _one_ thing I have wanted to try and do" and the elf vanished with a pop.

# # # # #

The graveyard was quiet as the lone elf appeared in the darkness. Kreacher looked around for a moment and then started to search the tombstones for several minutes – coming to a rest in front of a small and almost unnoticeable one. Abnormally for the small magical being, Kreacher looked around once more – nervous at the thought of what it was going to do. Just to be certain, the elf bent down and looked at the grave marker.

 _ **HERE LIES**_

 _ **TOM MARVOLO RIDDLE**_

 _ **DEFEATED DARK LORD**_

"If there is an afterlife, I hope you are watching this" Kreacher said. He'd been wanting to do this ever since Master Regulus had been killed and after getting the information during the search for the other Horcruxes from Master Harry and Miss Hermione, it had firmed his resolve.

The stillness of the night air was broken only by two sounds – one of them was the sound of an elf chuckling and laughing.

The other was the odd sound of running water

# # # # #

Courage

Duty

Honour

These are all words that most people know and know well. It was well known by the surviving Aurors from the final battle at Hogwarts and it was a credo that they had taken from Harry Potter and what had happened in the years he had spent at Hogwarts. He had the courage, along with a handful of others, to face his fears and to keep up the fight against Voldemort and the Death Eaters. When Shaklebolt had ordered the still decimated Auror force to do their duty and to start a search for Harry James Potter, arrest him and lock up in Azkaban on what amounted to trumped up charges, they replied that their duty was to uphold the law – nothing more and nothing less. They'd replied that Harry had done his duty and defeated the magical world's greatest threat and had earned the right to settle down and enjoy life and maybe start a family. They had refused to carry out the order without a warrant, and they still refused to do so even with one.

"If Potter wants to go live with the Muggles, then I say we let him" said the Senior Auror in the room.

"Fifteen years on the force is quite an investment. Your job, your pension. Maybe instead of worrying about that brat, you might think about your own family" Shaklebolt sneered at him with a fake smile plastered on his face. The Senior Auror said nothing but ran his thumb over his Auror badge with his eyes shut. When he opened them again, he took the badge off and threw it to the floor at the minister's feet.

"I _am_ \- I'm thinking I have to go home and face them" and he left the room.

#

At the same that was happening, Harry was settling into his new home at Awdry Manor, located on the Island of Sodor – just off the coast near Barrow In Furness. Kreacher had, at Harry's request, cleaned the library first before starting on the rest of the place and make it suitable to live in. Nothing was wrong with the place exactly, but the years of emptiness had given it a somewhat dusty and grungy look and feel. After he had finished stacking several boxes of books on the more than ample bookshelves, Harry decided to go into the local town of Tidmouth and he went into the garage and found a small dark green Ford Mondeo parked up and ready for use. Driving out of the garage, he went down the driveway and set off towards the town to see what was around and to buy a few things that the house would need. As he walked along the high street, he wondered about how his life had flipped so upside down that he'd had to go on the run again. He had heard rumours almost since the death of Voldemort that he was to be locked away under house arrest _just in case_ another Dark Lord showed up on the scene. As he passed by the railway station, he decided to pop inside and have a cup of tea and a rest from walking. As he sat in the station buffet, he watched the trains going by taking both passengers and freight to their destinations. Unlike most trains, including the Hogwarts Express, the engines on the island of Sodor had faces, were alive and could think, talk and feel as much as anybody. Of course, being railway engines, they could only go forwards and backwards, as fast or as slow as their drivers allowed them to go and only go in a set direction thanks to the signalman. In addition, this railway, the North Western Railway, operated mainly steam engines. As he sat and watched, Harry could see big express locomotives all the way down to little shunters and station pilots. As he looked back at the old fashioned buffet full of polished wood, gold, copper and metal fittings, he heard a sudden whistling noise and saw a small green tank engine come rushing into a bay platform with a goods train – shouting at people to get as far away as possible. His, for the voice was male, driver and fireman jumped clear onto the platform as the little engine went rushing onwards before hitting the buffers, riding up and over before smashing into a small ticket booth near some gates.

"Somebody call the ambulance!" a man shouted as railway staff poured in from all over to help pull out any injured. Harry looked out of the window at the utter chaos that had ensued from the accident and left his shopping and tea behind as he raced over and offered to help.

"You better get clear, sonny" one of the station staff said.

"I've got first aid training" Harry replied. "I can help out until the ambulances get here" and the man looked at Harry before nodding his head. Harry worked as hard as he could in pulling out the injured from the debris – putting some magical healing into each person as he did so. He knew that he might be breaking the statute of secrecy, but Harry found that he could not be bothered by it at all. Once medical assistance had been summoned, Harry switched to helping out with moving the debris from around the badly damaged engine who was in pain.

"It wasn't my fault" it said. "I was pushed by the trucks" and then it closed its eyes and groaned low and soft in complete agony.

"Is he going to be alright?" Harry asked.

"He will have to be pulled off carefully, but he should be alright to get to the works as soon as the work crews have made him safe. First off, though, we have to dump his fire – hard to do when he is at a massive angle like that" another of the workers said. They worked slowly and carefully and it was not until a few hours that the engine, whose name Harry had learnt was Percy, had been placed back on the tracks, towed up onto a flatbed and hauled away to the works.

#

"You helped us out a great deal" said a man. Sir Topham Hatt said. He wore a slightly old fashioned kind of suit with a yellow waistcoat and stood in front of Harry as he sat in his office. At first, mainly because he had not moved for a while, Harry assumed him to be nothing but a lead figure painted up as a person.

"I happened to be in the area" Harry shrugged. "I saw what happened and I helped as best as I could"

"Yesssssss" Sir Topham Hatt drew the word out a little longer than normal before sitting down in his chair. "Over the many years of running this railway, I have become a good judge of people based on what I see and hear them do… I would like to offer you a job in the company. It is not much, merely a position of station assistant, but the pay is reasonable"

"I already have a lot of money left to me by my parents, Sir, but I would like to still have a job and earn a living, so to speak at least"

"Indeed" Sir Topham Hatt looked at Harry carefully. "Very well, the job is yours. I shall have somebody send you a formal letter outlining your job description, pay and benefits if you leave your address"

"Right"

"Just two more things… The first is that you call me the Fat Controller – everybody does that even if they don't know that I know" and Harry smiled.

"The second?" he asked.

"I will not mention it to any member of staff unless you want me to do so" the newly nicknamed Fat Controller said, "But I was wondering when you were going to tell me your name was Harry James Potter?"

 **A/N:**

 **Well everybody, there it is – chapter one of** _ **Harry and Sodor – The Magic of Normality**_ **. This came about after getting very drunk and discussing it on a facebook group for fanfic writers and readers. Within an hour or so, I had a basic plot outlined for the first chapter as well as a general idea on where I would like it to go…**

 **For the record, I will be mixing up characters and events from both the books and the tv series – but only before HiT took over the making of it – and some made up events of my own design.**

 **Well, not much to say now but I hope you'll leave a review and if you have any questions, then please note them down in your reviews or even a PM if you want to keep the questions separate – I will answer as many as possible.**

 **Regards**

 **Pixel and Stephanie Forever**


	2. New Job, Same Problems

**New Job, Same Problems**

After being fitted out with overalls, tools, a locker and several passes that would allow him free travel on the railway, Harry started his first day on the North Western Railway which mainly involved being shown around Tidmouth station and informed about all of the rules and regulations that applied to the station with regards to his job. The week after he started, Harry was sat in the break room of the yard talking to a few of the other members of staff. He sat back as they told him stories including the time that one engine had gone so fast that a hole had opened in one of his coaches which had to be repaired by newspapers and a passenger's shoelaces.

"Right, lads, we've got a spot of work on" the Foreman said as he came in. "The school in the town has had half of its roof blown off, and the supplies to repair it are coming up on a special freight from Wellsworth. Our job is going to be to unload it from the trucks and put it into the builders wagons. The signaller is going to stop the train at the milk platform and we're going to jump inside the guard's van at the back"

"Are they tarped over?" asked one of the workers.

"I don't know, but I expect they would be" and the Foreman looked at Harry. "I know you'd want to help, but I need someone to stay in the office in case there is a last minute change of plans" and Harry nodded in agreement.

"Are you expecting anything to happen?"

"No, but I like to be ready for anything" and the Foreman waited for the men to finish their mugs of tea before leading them out for the short walk over to the milk platform. Harry watched them go round the corner before turning back and, with a flick of his wrist, used a bit of magic to clear up and organise the paperwork. As he was checking equipment, the telephone went off and Harry rushed over to answer it.

"Tidmouth Sheds, Gang Mess"

" _It's the signalman here at Whaley Road – I've got a derailment just past my box_ "

"What sort of a train is it?" Harry asked, getting down all the details as quickly as he could.

" _It's a mixed freight – dry goods_ " the signalman reported. " _I'd just got a message from the box down the line when I heard an almighty racket. I looked out and saw the train tipping over…_ " the man stopped speaking.

"What is it?" Harry asked urgently.

" _The special…_!" and the man rushed to throw every signal into danger but it was too late – Harry heard the sickening sounds of a medium speed collision through the phoneline. " _You'd better send everything you can up the line to me_ " and then the line went dead. Harry quickly got in touch with the signalbox controlling the yard and had them get an engine hooked up to the breakdown train and to alert the Fire, Rescue and Ambulance people of what's happened and the location.

# # # # #

Everybody came back from the special goods load and grabbed all the emergency equipment they could carry – shoving it into the breakdown crew coach along with some first aiders. Duck, a green tank engine that talked endlessly about the Great Western Railway, was quickly coupled up and pulled the coach, the two cranes and some trucks as quickly as possible. After about five minutes, the brakes were applied and loud bangs could be heard as the train ran over the detonators to protect oncoming trains. The crash site was terrible with debris littering the entire area – wood and blood mixing in a macabre way.

"Harry – you, John and Dave go up and see what it is like up front. The rest of us will make safe this debris and get the cranes started" the Foreman said. Harry went forward with the other two past the debris and to where the engine was and he groaned and felt his stomach turn as he saw an arm laying several feet from its owner.

"Jesus, Mary and Joseph" one of the man with Harry crossed himself at the sight.

"Help…" a low moan came from the cab of the engine which was buckled badly on one side and which had twisted so that the entire engine had flipped almost completely to the left.

"I'll get in there" said Harry, "I'm the smallest after all. You look after that poor bastard" he indicated the fireman laying on the ground" and he crawled under the side of the cab and looked at what he had to work with. The driver was crumpled up against the controls with broken legs, broken arms, bruises, bleeding and was in a terrible state. Harry swore softly, glanced around and then took his wand out and cast a few healing spells before it was too late.

"Are you alright in there?" asked Dave.

"Yeah, but we need somebody here quickly – the driver isn't looking good"

"Bet he's better than the fireman – he's brought it" Dave replied.

"What caused the derailment?" asked Harry as he shifted the driver to a position on his back.

"Some stupid bastards put bricks on the line – run over that at full speed and you…" John stopped talking as somebody talked to him and Dave.

"Harry?"

"Yeah?"

"Its George" George was the Foreman. "Can you get the driver out?"

"I don't know what is broken exactly" Harry said, "But I have an idea to get him out of the cab"

"Cut through the cab roof?"

"Not likely" said a voice indignantly.

"Quiet, you silly engine – can't you see somebody is hurt and another is dead?"

"Oh" the voice replied.

"Nearest road is quite a bit up the line" Harry said, remembering a track guide he had seen some days before.

"So?"

"So I was thinking we can improvise a spinal board. The special was carrying wood and ropes and stuff, right?"

"I get what you're thinking" George said. "Do what you can for the driver and we'll be right back" and him, John and Dave left the fireman's body where it was. Now was not the time to think of the dead but to try and save a life. Once they had gone, Harry cast a few healing charms along with giving the driver a blood replenisher.

"I hope this works" he muttered as he remembered all of the healing spells they had used during the war.

# # # # # #

"Sir!"

"What is it?" asked Kingsley, looking up from paperwork.

"We found him" replied the excited young Auror.

"Found who?"

"Harry Potter"

"At last… Round up every Auror and Hit Wizard you can and get them here for a meeting at eight tonight – we'll take that little brat by force"


	3. A Girl and the Aurors

**A Girl and the Aurors**

Due to electrical storms over the island, the planned invasion of Sodor by the Ministry was put off nobody dared to Apperate or Portkey through that sort of thing ever since the Great Naked Pizza Incident of 1897 involving the Italian Ministry, four Nuns, a chicken and a small wooden cat. All of this concerned Harry not in the slightest as he had no ideas about what was in store…

"Next" he called and the door opened and in walked a young woman in some sort of uniform. Harry was interviewing people for the position of housekeeper after the sad death of Kreacher a few days before. The poor elf, after suffering years of abuse from the Blacks and from thinking he had not carried out Regulus's last orders, had died in his sleep – Harry sitting by his bedside when he did. He'd buried him in the garden at an angle and facing the manor so that he could always watch over the place.

"Thank you for giving me the opportunity" the young woman said. Harry looked up and saw that the uniform was for the local High School and he wondered if it was a teacher looking to make a bit of extra money.

"Tell me why you think I should give you the position over the other candidates?" Harry asked, offering her a cup of tea which she accepted.

"I'd like to get a job" came the reply.

"Don't you already have one?" Harry frowned, gesturing at the crest on her uniform blazer.

"I don't und…" she paused as she realised what Harry was meaning. "Oh, this…? I'm still at school as a pupil" and Harry's eyebrows went high in disbelief. "I know I look and _am_ young" the girl continued, "But everybody else my age wants to work in burger bars and stuff and I want to be different – I promise I can do the job"

"I'll be the judge of that" said Harry, sipping his tea and regarding the teenager in front of him. "Given your age and the fact that you have school work to do, I think we'll forget the requirement to do the work during the day"

"What would I be expected to do?" asked the girl. "I know what the advert said, but it doesn't say much"

"You would be expected to keep the downstairs area clean, tidy and all the normal rubbish the job entails. I'll do my own clothes washing, naturally, and most of the time I will do my own cooking – except if I am working late and I might call here to get you to put some soup in the microwave. I would appreciate it, though, if you would do the shopping for me as I am out during the day working. Saying that, of course, I would also expect you to do your homework first and, if there is a test you must revise for, I would not be adverse to letting the house get untidy"

"I have the job?" the girl asked and Harry nodded in agreement. "Might I ask how much I will get?"

"You will get £10.50 an hour" Harry replied. "You can have it daily or at the end of the week" and it was arranged that it would be paid in cash at the end of each week. "One thing, though… What is your name?" he asked. "I can't go around calling you 'Girl' or 'Hey You!' can I?"

"Nyssa" the girl replied. "I'm Nyssa Petronella Mayerle"

"Well then, Nyssa Petronella Mayerle, I hope this will be a happy relationship"

"But Mr Potter" she exclaimed with a mock serious look on her face, "This is a strictly business relationship" and Harry burst into laughter.

"I like you already" he said. "Now, would you like a lift home or can you get a bus?"

"I can get a bus, but thank you very much for the offer, Mr Potter" Nyssa said.

"Oh, one other thing…"

"Mmm?"

"Only call me Mr Potter if there is load of company at the house – I hate using titles and prefer my first name to be used"

"I'll remember, Sir" Nyssa said cheekily. After signing a contract to make everything legal, he walked her to the front door and let her out. Once the door was closed once more, he waved his wand whilst thinking hard and all the magical things that could not be explained away floated upstairs and out of the way.

#

As he went about his work, his thoughts turned to what he had had to do for the Dursleys and how Nyssa was doing his old jobs – the difference being that he was actually paying her to do so and had set terms down so she did not overwork herself or get behind in her schooling. Looking at the clock, he poured himself a brandy and settled into his oversized armchair to watch children's television. During his years with the Dursleys, he'd never been allowed to watch TV unless it had been the Queen's Christmas Message, and so he now took the chance in doing so. Watching the show, something about an escape pod from an alien battlecruiser having been discovered by two boys, the former Boy-Who-Lived found himself twirling his wand between his fingers and realised that apart from a few very low level spells and the Healing charms he had used at the derailment, he'd lived life almost completely as a Muggle. He still kept up with the magical world, but it dawned that he had more to offer then it had to offer him. The revelation was startling and caused him to think about living in the Muggle world and only going into the Magical world when he needed to. After he had finished watching his show, he got up to make himself dinner – Roast Beef with all of the trimmings.

#

"Sorry for being late, Sir, but it was raining and I missed the bus..." Nyssa said. She was standing in the kitchen of Harry's house after getting soaked in the downpour that pounded the windows hard. It was a few weeks after Harry had engaged her services, and he could say that he had found no fault with the teen at all.

"You should have gone home and stayed dry" Harry shook his head. "Sit yourself down and I'll make you a cuppa before you even think of working!" and the schoolgirl nodded before dropping her satchel to the floor and sitting on the large settee. "You got any homework to do?" and the girl Nyssa shook her head. As she did so, the wet hair that was plastered to her face fell free and revealed the imprint of a hand mark that looked a little old.

"Whats wrong?" asked Nyssa

"Did you get into a fight or something?" Harry asked as he set the mug in front of the girl.

"Huh...? Oh...!" she gasped as one hand rushed to the spot in a vain attempt to cover it up. "It doesn't matter"

"It matters to me if my employee is injured"

"It didn't happen on your time"

"I thought nothing happened" Harry raised an eyebrow.

"If I tell you what happened will you promise not to get mad?" the girl asked timidly after a while.

"I solemnly promise" Harry raised his right hand as if taking an oath.

"A couple of idiots at school thought that the reason I came here during the week was because you were..." she trailed off.

"I was what?"

"I shouldn't say anything at all" the girl said.

"Let me guess... They said that I was a dirty man for looking at a girl in school uniform? That I was making you take it off for me?" and the girl's blush told him everything he needed to know. "That has to stop... Look, I know what I said, but I'll go up to your school and speak to your Headteacher - that is not just bullying, Nyssa, but an assault for which they have to be punished"

"But they will get away with it" Nyssa said. "Their parents are high ups in the local community"

"Maybe so" Harry said with a smile, "But I out rank them"

"How?"

"I do not use it very much, but my full name is Lord Harry James Potter"

"A Lord...?" Nyssa paled white in horror - she had burdened a member of the Peerage with her small problems.

"As I said" Harry revelled in the emotions that Nyssa was displaying, "I do not use it that much because I am sick and tired of all of the crap that goes with it... Regardless of the fact you are an employee of mine, I do not like bullies in the slightest" and he would have spoken more about the subject except he heard the sound of popping from outside – followed by his front door crashing in and Kingsley Shaklebolt walking inside with a number of Aurors with him with their wands all trained on him. "Well… This ought to be different"

"Yes, people do not normally blow up your front door and march in dressed in large red bed sheets holding wooden sticks" Nyssa said dryly.

"Be quiet, Muggle" Shaklebolt said. "Harry Potter, you are under arrest on charges of Treason, Sedition, Fraud, Deception and anything else I can think of"

"Get stuffed, Shaklebolt…" Harry looked at the Aurors who had all raised their wands to point at him. "Which of you is the senior Auror here?" he asked.

"You, Sir"

"Okay, let me re-phrase the question… Which of you is the Auror in charge?"

"Me, Sir" a young witch raised her hand. "Watch Commander Amy Williams"

"Well, Watch Commander Williams, do you happen to have a search warrant?"

"No, Sir"

"Did you have reason to believe I was under attack?"

"No, Sir"

"Any reason to think I was about to launch an attack"

"Well, not exactly…"

"Oh?" Harry raised a bemused eyebrow. Nyssa sat in her still wet clothes shivering somewhat as she tried to keep up with the discussions that were being held between Harry and the League of Bedsheet Wearers.

"The Minister got information that you were suffering from delayed trauma from the Second Great War, that you were taking substances harmful to your health and making all sorts of charges against him" Williams looked between him and the enraged Kingsley Shaklebolt.

"Who gave you this information?"

"Auror Ronald Weasley"

"That prick…?" Harry swore. "Sorry, Nyssa…" he added to the girl. "Well you can clearly see that I am not causing anybody any harm, although that might change if you don't start leaving my house" and Shaklebolt withdrew his wand and started yelling.

"I am the Minister and I will do what I like… You are just like what Dumbledore said – a selfish and whining little brat son of a bitch" and Harry's eyes flashed green and, before anybody noticed, he withdrawn his own wand and sent Shaklebolt crashing into a wall. The Aurors, bar Williams, trained their wands on him once more.

"Stand down… Aurors, Stand down" Williams took charge of the situation and had her team back down as she'd been at the Battle of Hogwarts and seen Harry singlehandedly take on a dozen Death Eaters – the last two using a knife. Over the years, she'd seen Harry take on the most dangerous challenges including hostage situations and terrorism attacks with ease – no way would she take on him when he was angry like that. "Lord Potter, I regret the actions of my team this evening. Should you wish it to be so, you can file a complaint to the DMLE where an investigation will take place. We had no reason or just cause to enter your property this evening…"

"Just take that idiot and get out" Harry said. Williams nodded and motioned her team to levitate Shaklebolt out of the house.

"What about the Muggle?"

"She's card carrying" Harry lied.

"Really…?" Williams looked faintly bemused at the lie.

"Now come, come, Auror Williams… Do you think I am going to make a lie up like that?"

"I've heard stories"

"Don't believe them – I'm actually a nice guy" Harry shed the anger that had cloaked him.

"Sir" Williams nodded and she followed her team out of the house and popped away. Harry sighed, shook his head and repaired the broken door with a wave of his wand.

"Would you mind telling me what just happened?" asked Nyssa.

"Well I just saved you from having your mind wiped" Harry rubbed the sides of his head, sighed heavily and flopped down into the chair he favoured. "Well, as you may have guessed, I happen to be a wizard"

"The wand gave it away" agreed Nyssa. "What do you mean that I'm a card carrier?" she asked.

"What I am about to tell you can not be told to anybody – not even your family" Harry looked as Nyssa nodded in agreement. "Through the world live thousands and thousands of magical people, creatures and such like. We keep ourselves hidden for the most part, though there are certain groups that do know of our existence such as the police, the army, the Government and the Queen"

"But why hide away?"

"Magic can be used for a great many purposes, Nyssa, but not all of them are good ones… Imagine if you could get a witch or wizard under your power? Think of all the terrible things you could do with just one person – murder, death, rape, theft… Complete takeover of entire countries…" Harry shook his head.

"Why did the Legion of Bedsheet Wearers want you to go with them?"

"Ten years ago there was a war – a big war"

"I never noticed it" said Nyssa carefully.

"You wouldn't have noticed it because the Muggles, that's the term for non magical people, that knew of magic covered it up as gas explosions, natural disasters and major accidents. There was a very bad wizard, what we call a Dark Lord, named Voldemort, who led his followers called Death Eaters on a campaign of terror and destruction"

"Why?"

"Because he believed in Pureblood supremacy, a bit like Hitler but ten times as bad. He took over the magical side of things, put people into work camps, into prisons, killed men and women and children… A few friends of mine managed to escaped and conduct a gorilla war – hitting targets here and there when we could. Problem was, though, that he was after me as much as I was after him"

"Because you stood up to him?"

"If only" Harry smiled sadly. "The war was the second time he had tried to take over… The first time, Voldemort heard of a prophecy… a prediction, if you will… about me and so he came to my house and killed both of my parents and tried to do it to me, but the Killing Curse rebounded and destroyed his body"

"But if it destroyed his body, how did he come back?"

"That's a question which is hard to answer, but suffice to say his soul lived on in many forms. After many years, he managed to get a new body and started his campaign of terror all over again. It took a long time for people to understand what was happening because they were too complacent, too stupid or on his side to do anything. By the time things were put into place to fight him, it was too late and so those that remained free went into hiding and used spells and charms to stay safe"

"Did it work?"

"Yes, but not for everybody… Voldemort had traitors, defectors and all manner of people working for him so he ended up very much in control of all the wards"

"Wards?"

"Special magical spells" Harry replied. "They help to protect the safety of a building or area of land"

"So he wanted you because you defeated him once before?"

"In a manner of speaking, yes… He believed that if I was captured or killed, there would be nobody who could defeat him. He went through a lot to try and get me – whole families in some cases wiped out for one teenager and his two friends"

"And you defeated him"

"At great cost, yes, we did. After the war was over, I joined the Aurors – the idiots who came in earlier. I wanted to make sure that nothing like this could happen again, but there was a minority, albeit a powerful one, that demanded I be locked away for safe keeping for when the next Dark Lord came calling round. I decided that wasn't for me, moved here and got a job on the railways"

"Am I in danger?" asked Nyssa quietly.

"From Voldemort, no… I took care of that myself" and the girl could see the strain, hurt and worry from those times filter through for a few moments. "I can't speak for the Ministry, though word will get around that anybody who messes with you will have to face me. I'll get you a Magic Awareness Card for you to carry should you need it and I guess I don't need to not use magic around you any longer. Just… Just promise me that you will not tell anybody about magic. While people may scoff at you, for me it means a lot of prison time and magical prisons are not very nice places to be"

"What about Church?"

"What about it?"

"I'm Catholic, and Father Patrick might ask me if I have been in league with the devil and used magic"

"Well I've not grown horns and a pointy tail, and as a Muggle you can't use magic, so I think you'll be fine" Harry waved his wand over the girl and her clothes instantly dried and she warmed right back up again. "I guess this has been a culture shock"

"You can say that again"

"I guess this has been a culture shock"

"Harrrrrrry!" Nyssa laughed slightly. "So what happens now?" the girl asked. "Will they come back?"

"They might, although it might not be for some time – got the impression that the good Minister was not telling people the entire truth" and Harry saw her nod before slowly becoming quiet and thoughtful. "Whats wrong?" he asked.

"You said that you wizards and witches wipe people's minds… Have you ever done it to me?"

"No, though you would never know if I had. I saw it happen too many times to feel comfortable about it, though I had to train to use it as well as many other powerful and almost banned spells"

"Why train if they are almost banned?"

"A case of knowing them and yet not using them… Before you ask, yes, I have killed a couple of people" and Nyssa's head shot up in a flash and her eyes widened. "It was only in defence of myself and others… And even then it was the only remaining option left to me to stop the Death Eaters from killing innocent men, women and children – that will live on my mind until the day I die, I suspect, but apart from those eight times, I have never killed a person. During my time in the Aurors, I always stunned, knocked out or otherwise disabled my opponents" and he paused for a long time before letting loose a long sigh. "If you want to no longer work here, I _will_ have to wipe your memory, that is the law, but I would only do it with your verbal and written permission"

"No" Nyssa said slowly, "I want to keep working and I'll keep your secret. But" she asked with a glint of humour in her eyes, "Any chance of working a spell to make the team win?"

"Sorry" Harry burst into laughter, "But trying to make the local footy side win is a magic even I can't do"

"Not much of a bloody wizard then"

# # # # #

Over the course of the following few months, Nyssa was true to her promise and never revealed or spoke about magic unless it was in Harry's home. In turn, Harry allowed her to read some of his old History of Magic texts as he'd found her to be very intelligent and wanted to know some of what magic was. Apart from the books, he'd also loaned her a coat that had been charmed to repel water and keep her warm – something very much needed now it was turning to the coldness of winter. As Harry worked in the yard at Wellsworth, he wondered what to get the girl for Christmas as he figured it was the thing for an employer to do for his work force. After sheeting some trucks down for a freight train, Harry was just walking back to the Gangers cabin when his mobile went off. Looking at an unfamiliar number, he accepted the call and heard the sounds of shouting.

"Hello?"

"Harry…?" it was Nyssa's voice. Harry could tell she was the one being shouted at and sounded frightened and afraid of something. "I need help"

"Whats going on?" he asked as James trundled by with a slow goods.

"Dad's got drunk, come home and found the bo–" suddenly Harry heard a scream, a thud and then the line went dead.

"Nyssa? Nyssa? NYSSA?" and, forgetting that he was a person with the ability to teleport anywhere he wished, he hurried to the cabin to sign out of work as it was the end of his shift anyway. Not stopping to talk to the others about the darts match that night at the Silver Fox, he hurried to the car park and jumped into his Austin Montego and sped out of the yard – hoping he could reach Nyssa in time


	4. Harry's Ordinary Life

**Harry's Ordinary Life**

During the time it took to drive from the station yard to the place where Nyssa lived, Harry went through all of the various defensive spells he knew. He also mentally reviewed all of the medical spells as it seemed from Nyssa's brief phone call that she'd be injured in some way. The rain that had started up fell heavier and Harry flicked on the windscreen wipers until he was clear of the little town and had nobody in sight. Concentrating hard, he apparated himself and the car over to the house and slammed the door open.

"How the hell are you?" demanded a teenaged boy.

"One pissed off Lord" Harry replied. "Nyssa called me to say that her own father was attacking her"

"Yeah? Well, why shouldn't we beat the freak up? She's believing in magic and that don't exist" and something that had been buried deep inside Harry snapped and his wand came out of its ever present holster, slid down into his palm and the enraged wizard fired a spell that sent him crashing into the kitchen door. Hearing the sounds of a one sided fight coming from upstairs, he gave the fallen body a foul look before going upstairs at the double. His first impressions of the house were not all that great in that it looked a very nice place, but it seemed too much of a show house. He shook his head in disbelief – even the Dursley home had a sense of being lived in…

" _Somebody help me_ " Nyssa's voice was cut off by the thudding noise of a meaty fist hitting solid flesh or bone. Walking along the landing, he found one door partially closed and he kicked it open and stormed in.

"What the hell is happening here?" he demanded.

"Who the fuck are you? Get out of my house before I call the police" replied a well built man that Harry took to be Nyssa's father. Harry ignored him and looked at the sobbing girl who was bleeding from several cuts, had torn clothes and appeared to be bruising very badly. From the way she was holding her left arm, he surmised that it was broken in at least two places.

"My name is none of your business. What I am here for is because I got a short phone call asking for help from one of my employees… Sounded as if she was in trouble"

"I'm her father"

"What kind of father beats their own children? Hmm…? As it happens, I am a member of the police"

"Show me your card" and Harry fished around in his overalls and pulled out his Auror ID that was charmed to appear like a police warrant card.

"Happy?" and he shoved it back inside the pocket. "Now then… I see assault of a minor, actual bodily harm, grievous bodily harm, mental and physical torture – now back away"

"She has been reading banned books – she is in congress with the Devil himself!" Nyssa's dad snarled as the girl tried to struggle up to her bed from where she'd be thrown to the floor and beaten.

"Really?"

"Magic… There is no such thing as magic! And I will have anyone who disagrees with me!" and he gave a roar of anger before charging at Harry. The younger man simply sidestepped out of the way before taking aim and hitting him with a body locking spell and heavily bound.

"Now listen to me you worthless scum – it is real… Nyssa is not just my employee, but she is also my friend" Harry stepped towards him. "I do not allow my friends to be attacked and injured – I went through one war already for that"

" _War_? What does a skinny bastard like you know about fighting in a war?" it was against every single thing that Harry believed in, every law that governed the use of Mind Arts and every law that protected Muggles… But something in Nyssa's father's tone broke the last straw that was holding his mental state together.

"A lot, actually" and projected the memories of the time he had spent on the run from Voldemort – what the trio had called The Year Of Hell. Leaving the jabbering mess of humanity to himself, Harry turned back to look at Nyssa. "Would you like me to call the police or would you like to come back to my place?" he asked. "I'm not going to ask anything of you except you do what you normally would"

"Yes" she whispered gently. "Yes please" and Harry nodded and cast a pain numbing charm that would last until he got her back home. "How will I get all my stuff out?" the girl asked.

"Well seeing as how all the detectors at the Ministry of Magic will be going haywire by now, I might as well do a spot more" and the pair grinned before Harry gave a few flicks and waves of his wand and all of Nyssa's belongings flew into the air and packed themselves neatly into boxes and cases before popping away. "Need to get that lot sorted out" Harry said and gently gathered the girl into himself. "You'll like this bit" he chuckled.

#

"I didn't like that bit" Nyssa said. Harry smiled gently and cleared the pool of vomit from the floor with a wave of his wand.

"Sorry… I'll get you checked in and we'll see about your injuries" and he placed her on the bed.

"Where are we?" Nyssa asked.

"St Mungos"

"Never heard of that place"

"It's the main hospital for magical people" Harry positioned himself so he had a clear line of sight at the door. "Normally they would not treat you, but as you are carrying a card and with me, they'll do what I tell them" and the door quickly opened and a healer walked in and hurried over to the bed.

"I am Healer Jones and I will be treating you… Mr Potter?"

"Megan" Harry nodded.

"Harry, you know they are all looking for you, right?" and he nodded at Megan Jones's question.

"I found her being attacked by her own father"

"What spells were used?"

"None – she's a muggle" and Megan looked up at Harry sharply.

"You know the rules… Muggles are to be treated here only as a last resort"

"I know that, Megs, but my knowledge of healing spells and charms extends only to battlefield ones – this was my only option" Harry put his wand back into his holster. "Besides, she's card carrying"

"I suppose that helps" and she used her wand to cast several differing spells over Nyssa and was rewarded with a piece of parchment that listed the girl's injuries. "Concussion, some internal bruising, broken arm in three places, broken leg, broken ankle… I hope you left something for the muggle police to identify"

"Maybe… maybe not" and Megan looked at Harry carefully. "I see. You know, for what it is worth, I do not believe any of the rumours about you. Ron Weasley has been making out how he had a seven hour battle with you to stop your dark tendencies. If it is worth anything, most of the Hufflepuffs are with you"

"Thanks" Harry nodded gratefully. "What are you going to give her?" he asked.

"Some pain numbing potions, bone regrowths and something for the internal bruising. She'll need to rest for a day or two, but otherwise should be okay. I'll see what I can do about sending you the books and some spare ingredients if you want"

"Thanks – don't think I'll be back in the magical world for a while"

"Maybe its safer if you don't come back for a while" Megan said, pulling Harry away from where Nyssa was taking the potions.

"Why?"

"Granger has been running as much interference for you as possible. She's told a couple of us that half the Auror force is refusing to take orders that involve going after you – some are even talking about removing the Minister from office for misuse of power"

"Why haven't they come after me?" Harry asked. "I am sure that my magical signature has been clocked here by now"

"Go up against the killer of Voldemort?" Megan snorted. "Are you sure you don't want me to get you a mind healer…?" and she raised a bemused eyebrow. "Look, I know that I was one of those that believed wrong of you in Second Year and then again in Fourth, but I will help you as much as I can. If you need magical healing, you just send me a letter and I'll come as quickly as I can. The reason why nobody has issued another set of arrest orders to you is because Shacklebolt tried to dissolve the Wizengamot last week"

"How?" Harry's eyebrows rose.

"He said it was being corrupted – don't believe it myself"

"I don't" said Harry. "When he tried to marry me off to Ginny or another Pureblood, it was so that he could carry out Dumbledore's plan of keeping me under close arrest until there was another Dark Threat"

"Healer Jones!" a young female trainee burst into the room.

"What is it, Smith?"

"A team of twenty Aurors just turned up to arrest the occupants of this room"

"Shit… Time to get going, Nyssa" Harry scooped her into his arms. "What are you going to say?"

"Forced me to treat her at wand point" Megan said.

"Looked like it to me" shrugged the trainee. At Harry's puzzled look, she added, "I was a First Year at the Battle of Hogwarts, and I doubt you will remember me, but we stood next to each other for a few seconds near the doors to the Great Hall"

"I remember" said Harry. "Wasn't it you that flung mashed potatoes at Voldemort and told him to ' _Fuck off_ '?"

"You do remember"

"Everything about that night, Healer" Harry bowed to her. "Though I sometimes wish I did not. Megan, thanks…" and he popped away.

#

Harry installed Nyssa in a bedroom at the other end of the floor from him and returned downstairs to key a few more wards into use. After that was done, he waved his wand and some soup came out of container and began warming up on the stove. While he waited for the kettle to brew, his mind reviewed the number of things he would have to do now that Nyssa was clearly going to live with him. He picked up the phone and called the yard to let them know he wasn't going to be coming in tomorrow and the day after and gave a version of what had happened. The Chargeman understood completely and told Harry to take as much time as he needed to get things sorted.

"I have a few days off" he explained to Nyssa as he entered her bedroom after knocking on the door first. "I thought you might want somebody to talk to about what happened… And maybe call the police and file charges"

"Against my own dad?" Nyssa gasped as she took hold of the tray he was holding.

"He attacked you for no good reason" Harry shrugged. "I only wish I had done that when I was younger" and the girl sensed there was a tale for another time buried inside him.

"I guess… Where am I going to live?" she asked as she sipped the tea.

"Well here for the time being, but you are more than welcome to stay here until you find some place else" Harry summoned a chair and sat in it. "You can come and go as you please, I'll get you a key for the front door that will get you passage through the defence wards, and you can have as many friends over as you like – just let me know first, okay…?"

"To hide the magic stuff?"

"To hide the magic stuff" Harry confirmed with a grin.

"Do I still have my job?" the girl asked.

"Sure" he knew the question would pop up sooner or later. "We'll have to change your address at school and the Doctor and everything"

"Yeah" Nyssa replied and looked down in sadness. "Did I do something wrong?" she asked.

"Why do you ask?"

"Fathers do not normally attack their own daughters for no good reason" Nyssa said.

"I'm not going to have a go at your faith, because I know that is a part of who you are, but I think he took the whole 'Burb The Witches' thing a little too close to actual instructions… Maybe your dad was sick in the mind or something" and Harry shrugged. "At least you have ended up here, with me, alone, just the two of us…" he waggled his eyebrows in an over the top manner which caused the girl to cheer up and start laughing.

"I'll finish this and then get unpacked" and Harry and Nyssa sat and talked a little while before he left her to get out of her tattered uniform and take a shower before sorting her things out.

#

As he waited downstairs, Harry flicked on the wireless and listened to some of the talk shows being broadcast. Some, of course, were about what he was up to, and some were reporting on Quidditch matches. Sighing to himself, he swapped his glasses for his reading glasses, put on his slippers, stuck his feet up on the footrest and settled down to read the local paper. It was not for another hour that Nyssa came down and sat in the chair in front of him.

"I'm starving" Nyssa declared.

"You just had some soup" Harry peered over the top of the paper.

"And now I am hungry!" the girl whined.

"You remind me of Ron" said Harry.

"Ron?"

"The one I thought was a good friend to me" Harry folded the paper and put it down to one side. "So, what do you fancy?"

"Um… Dunno, really – pizza?"

"Sure" Harry shrugged and walked into the kitchen with Nyssa following behind.

"You phone out for a pizza" the girl told him.

"Yes, but I like to make it myself"

"With magic?"

"You _can_ do that" Harry replied as he flicked his wand and all the needed things came out, "However there is no love in doing that. While you need to use magic to shape and change things, certainly, it is just not the same for me. I grew up living as a muggle, Nys, and I have always found that if something is worth doing then you put the effort in. Besides" he added, "The time it takes to make and cook with give you chance to calm down – a lot has happened in the last two hours" and the pair fell into silence as they made their evening meal.

#

As December marched on, snow started to fall so Harry elected to take Nyssa to and from school on his way to work. He'd also given her an emergency Portkey that was designed to take her from her location to the living room of Awdry Manor – but to use it only if she was under attack from Aurors or Hit Wizards.

"And" he had said, "Missing the last bus home does not count as an emergency".

As he worked at Tidmouth station clearing the snow from the station's platforms, he wondered about what to get for Christmas presents this year. In addition to his co-workers, he wanted to get stuff for some of the engines that he was good friends with and also decided what to get Nyssa. Hermione was also a factor to think about as he had gotten a letter only that day from her saying she'd be able to come over for the holidays. This gave rise to a really wicked prank – a prank that would rival anything the Weasley twins would have done…

"Ah, there you are" Mr Jenkins, the new foreman of the yard and of Harry's shift came up to him.

"Something wrong, Sir?" he asked.

"The evening express has got stuck in a snow drift between Vicarstown and Crovan's Gate. Gordon was due to go to the works anyway this afternoon, so he's going to pull the breakdown train as far as there where James is going to take over" Jenkins said. "With the gangs at the works all out on emergency repairs or snow clearing duties, I was wondering if you'd like to go up there"

"Sure" Harry said.

"You're going to make one stop at Wellsworth to pick up Edward, then swap engines at Crovan's Gate before doing the rest of the trip" Jenkins said.

"How long have I got?"

"Well Gordon's coming through the station in a few minutes to pick up the rest of the crew before setting off"

"Ah… Just needed to let the Station Master know where I am going, go to the Gents and ring up Nyssa"

"Nyssa?"

"The girl that's staying with me after she was attacked" and Jenkins simply nodded. He'd found Harry to be very open about what was happening in his life, but any mention of Nyssa put him on the defensive for some reason.

"Well just be on the platform when you finish" and Harry nodded and hurried to put away his tools and sort out a few things as Jenkins went to telephone Control to alert the signallers that a 1Z99 would be running and that it needed as few cautions as possible. After coming out the Gents, Harry flipped up the lid of his phone and called Nyssa at the house.

" _Hello, Merlin's Mansion_ " she spoke with a cheeky tone.

"Nyssa, I'm not going to be getting home until much later" he said.

" _Something happened_?" she asked.

"The evening express has got itself stuck in a snow drift" he explained as he heard the heavy sounds of puffing drifting faintly into the station's confines. "With everybody working on the clearing of snow and on the emergency repairs at Hackenback, we're the only lot free to do anything"

" _Oh… Well dinner was a casserole anyway, so there is no way it is going to go bad. Just be careful out there – I need my wizard back safe and sound!_ " and after a moment, Gordon backed into the station so he quickly ended the call as the track workers, carriage checkers and other staff boarded one of the coaches. As it happened, they waited an extra minute or so as somebody had wisely thought about making up large flasks of tea, coffee and soup for the passengers stuck in the snow. Whilst the steam heating on the train would still work, it would be cold all the same.

"Any idea who was pulling the express this evening?" asked one of the men.

"I think it was Henry" came the reply. "Gordon failed this afternoon on semi-fast… Luckily it happened at the station anyway – otherwise we'd be buggered for a suitable engine" said another.

"What was wrong with him?" Harry looked over from where he was looking out the coach window.

"Regulator fused open – driver is controlling him using the reverser"

"Haven't done that since Henry's incident" noted the first one. "That was a sight to see as well" he added.

"What happened?" asked Harry.

"Henry was returning to the shed light engine when a diesel failed. He was helping him back when yet another diesel failed, so Henry ended up dragging one train and keeping the brakes free on another! I can tell you, neither was best pleased about it, but we sent Spam Can packing quickly enough"

"Spam Can?"

"D199" said the man. "The other was 7101, but we kept that one as it seemed to be much nicer to steam engines" and the men talked between themselves as they rushed towards the stranded people.

#

Once they arrived at the accident site, they set to work getting the undamaged coaches clear by uncoupling them with Edward dragging them back up the line as far as Hoo River Junction where James would complete the journey to Knapford. Once the points were clear, Edward went back down the line to where Henry was still stuck in snow. Although the snow ploughs had been out, it had gotten heavier and heavier and nobody had realised that it had blocked a small tunnel's entrance – the poor engine had never even stood a chance and was now buried from his front all the way to his cab. The two damaged coaches that had been left behind were damaged because they'd slammed into each other when hitting the back of Henry when the engine had struck the drift. Both of them had come off the rails, so they'd need to crane them back on before being towed away. A couple of people had been injured, three of them reasonably badly, so they decided to wait until Harold the Helicopter came along and could take them away.

"Harry?" a voice called to him from where he was trying to dig the snow away from under Henry's wheels.

"That's what it says on me birth certificate" he replied.

"One of the women up in the first coach says she knows you – fairly insistent you've to talk to her"

"I'll come up as soon as I've dug the drive wheels out" Harry replied.

"Not that Nyssa girl you have hid up in your place, is it?"

"Jim, get fucked" Harry's green eyes flashed with a burning intensity that made the other worker back away quickly. After finishing his work of digging out Henry and helping to check he was okay, even if the engine was muttering under its 'breath', he walked back along the track and hauled himself up into the coach to find this woman. It didn't take him long to find the woman lying on one of the seats. "Are you drunk again, Hermione Granger?" he grinned.

"Funny…" she narrowed her eyes at him. "I was coming to visit you when we got stuck in the snow"

"Whats happened to you" he asked, perching on the arm of a bench seat.

"Not sure if I have broken my leg or just bruised it… Wish I was a witch and could cast a spell to sort it out" she replied. That told him that she had no skelegrow with her, so she'd have to deal with going to the hospital where Harry could slip her a potion and get out.

"Sure you'll be alright"

"Whats happening?" she asked.

"We're going to get you to hospital and then we'll try to get the coaches back on the rails and dragged out to the junction before taking them to the works"

"What about the engine?" Hermione sounded concerned.

"Henry?" Harry shrugged. "He's grumpy as hell and moaning about his paint, but he'll be alright after the fitters come out to check him over"

"Good… Will you come with me to the hospital or do you have to stay here?" she asked.

"Stay here to help up. Edward will take the damaged coaches and drop them off at the works for repair and I'll see if I can come home light engine on Henry – he's got plenty of steam after all and his damage is very minor"

"Define minor"

"Just his front coupling pin is buckled – its an easy enough repair to do back at the shed"

"Sounds like you know quite a lot" Hermione hissed from a sudden twinge of pain.

"I've picked up a hell of a lot working here, Mione, and I'm not entirely sure if I ever want to go back to my old life" Harry replied. "God alone knows I have done more than enough for Queen and country" and his friend nodded.

"We all have" she replied sagely. "What do you plan to do?"

"Not entirely sure" Harry sighed. "Maybe hand in my retirement notice. Even after just ten years, I've already earned it"

"How?"

"Voldemort" said Harry. "Anybody who went up against him was automatically eligible for full twenty year retirement package from the Auror Corps – even if they never joined the force… I'd get that twenty plus the ten I have put in, so there is no need for me to work at all"

"Going to hide away?"

"No… I'll still go to meetings and debates and such" Harry sighed. "I'll just not be an Auror anymore – had my share of fighting, Mione, and now it's my time to actually live. Now, enough of this, lets get you sorted and then you can meet my girlfriend"

" _Girlfriend_ "

"Yeah – she's a little younger than me and works at the local school" and, just then, a Doctor climbed in and put all talk of magic to an end.

#

It was not for another few hours that Harry was able to bring Hermione back to Awdry Manor where Nyssa waited. Hermione had gone on ahead in an ambulance whilst Harry and the work crews cleared up the damage and got the coaches back on again. He had elected to return to the station light engine on Henry. Once there, and alone, he'd apperated to the hospital to pick up Hermione. When they had left the place on the drive back, he'd given her a quick call to let her know what was happened and the girl had got the dinner reheated and elected to dress in the best stuff she had to meet Harry's oldest friend. Hermione looked at the young woman before her in Harry's home and blinked several times – trying to believe what her eyes were telling her. The other woman was wearing a grey blazer with gold and green trim with a crest on the left breast pocket, a black tie with the same crest on it, grey skirt, black stockings and black shoes.

"Um… Would you mind if I had a word with Harry?" she asked.

"Nope" and Harry found himself dragged into the kitchen and facing his utterly confused and angry looking best friend.

"Harry, when you said that your girlfriend was a bit younger than you and worked at the school, I thought you meant she was a teacher – NOT A BLOODY PUPIL!"

 **A/N:**

 **First of all, all the places mentioned are fully correct and the accident that befalls Henry is entirely possible to have. I suppose it helps if you happen to have a map of the island's railway system to work out everything…The only exception to this is Hoo River Junction as there is a division in the rails which has no name, so I made it up based on normal UK railway practices. Incidentally, the "1Z99" mentioned is a British headcode to be entered into the signalling system and used to denote special trains such as rescue engines or breakdown trains that must not be stopped under any circumstances. The only other code that is above it is "1X01" which denotes the Royal Train. Yes, I could have made it all up, but I'm known for my attention to detail in stories…**

 **The story related to Harry about Henry's fused regulator is from the story "** _ **Super Rescue**_ **" from the Thomas The Tank Engine book "Enterprising Engines"**

 **Well, I hope you enjoyed this new chapter and I look forward to reading your reviews**

 **Regards**

 **Pixel and Stephanie Forever**


	5. The Execution of Case Orange

**The Execution of Case Orange**

It was early February when Harry next encountered something from the Ministry. He had picked up Nyssa from outside the school she went to and the pair had picked up some fish and chips before heading home. Standing outside his front gates were two wizards dressed in black cloaks with red trim.

"Thought I would see them by now" Harry muttered.

"More bad wizards?" asked Nyssa.

"No… They work for the legal department of the Ministry of Magic. Its normally these people that deliver court summons"

"But you haven't done anything bad"

"I know that, Nyssa, but I assumed I would get a court summons. The magical world, as a whole, thinks I should be put in a dark place and left there until the next Dark Lord comes along – I disagreed"

"Clearly"

"Still, no reason to not have a bit of fun" Harry chuckled. "Can I help you two?" he asked as Nyssa and himself got out the car.

"You are Harry James Potter?"

"Me? No, but I get confused for him a lot of times. Me? I'm Lord Lucan"

"Do you know where he might be?" asked the second Auror.

"Harry Potter? I think you'll find him in a pineapple under the sea"

"Thank you" and the pair of Aurors popped away.

"Idiots" Nyssa shut the door as they stepped inside the house. "So what happens now?" she asked.

"Not entirely sure, but I think we can safely assume that they will try to have me sectioned and put into St Mungos" Harry tossed Nyssa her parcel of fish and chips before settling into his favoured armchair and flipping on the TV. "They will certainly try to have me tried for treason"

" _Treason_?"

"Long story… As you've found out yourself and from what me and Hermione told you, not all magical people are good. Some, though, are still shaken from the war and don't know what they are doing. Then, I'm sorry to say, you have the Weasleys"

"Weasels?" Nyssa blinked. Harry found he didn't care to correct her.

"During the final battle, their only daughter, Ginny, was hit by a spell nobody heard being cast. Of course, over that noise, you would be hard pressed to hear Gordon blowing his safety valve" he had a few mouthfuls of his fish and chips before continuing. "A few weeks after the end of the war, she complained of being deadly ill and so she went to the hospital and it was discovered she would not be able to bear children at all. Oh, she could have as much sex as she could handle, but she'd never be able to have children. Some of the family decided it would be a great idea that I give them a great sum of money to compensate for the loss of future children"

"I take it you said no"

"Amongst other things. Some of the other members of the family thought I should marry Ginny and try to have children with her anyway"

"That's why you left"

"One of the reasons" Harry said and then sighed. "I had thought that family were some of my best friends… Since I came here, I have wondered if they were truly my friends or if they wanted something from me"

"Who knows" Nyssa shrugged. "Oh god… I'm going to be late" she rushed to her feet and sent chips flying off in all directions.

"Late for what?"

"A date! Got a date with this cute guy in my class, and I'm going to be late" she hurried up the stairs. Harry chuckled, vanished the discarded food and kept on eating his own as he heard the sounds of slamming drawers and wardrobes. After about half an hour, Nyssa came down again dressed in a pleated red skirt that went down to her knees, black leather shoes, a cream blouse and a blood red cardigan. Harry found his eyes wondering over her body before he mentally shook himself. "Do I look okay?" she asked him.

"You'll do" Harry laughed at the expression that appeared on her face.

"I'm going to be late" she screamed as she glanced at the clock over the mantelpiece.

"Nyssa?"

"Yeah?"

"You do remember I'm a wizard…"

"Oh yeah… Can you teleport me please, Harry? What?" she added as Harry burst into fits of laughter.

"I was just thinking that this is what a parent must feel like" and he vanished the remains of his dinner away and stood up. "Where are you supposed to be?"

"Roxy Cinema on Wilbert Street" Nyssa replied. For some reason, she'd blushed heavily when Harry had been looking her over.

"Anything interesting?" Harry asked as he picked up his jacket.

" _Blake's 7: The Movie_ " the teenager replied.

"Ah, saw that last week with the lads from work…"

"Great – can we get going?"

"You certainly are a teenager" Harry chuckled as he put one hand on her shoulder and imagined being at the Cinema in question. A moment of discomfort later, followed by a little stumbling around by Nyssa, and they stood in the shadowed area of a alleyway.

"Made it" grinned the girl and gave Harry a quick hug of thanks.

"Are you going to be alright?" he asked.

"Got my emergency Portkey thingie" she said, indicating her little handbag.

"How are you getting back home?"

"Yep – acting like a parent" Nyssa smirked. "Well" she added darkly, "A better one then mine. I'll get a taxi home or something"

"Just let me know, whatever happens" said Harry. "Believe it or not, Nyssa, I do actually care about you. Apart from the engines, the lads from work, Hermione and one or two others, you are the only friend I have"

"Thanks" and she hugged him again before slipping out onto the main footpath and then crossing the road. Harry turned himself invisible and then watched as Nyssa walked towards a boy of about her own age and then go into the cinema. He quietly and carefully followed them and waited until they entered the screen before quietly popping away.

# # # # #

"You realise I could have you arrested for trying to block our investigation?"

"If you'd wanted to do that, you would have arrested me the moment you walked into my office" Hermione looked at the Auror sitting in an armchair in her office. "What is Kingsley doing now?" she asked.

"You don't know?"

"No… I've been removed from the Department Heads Meeting group" and the Auror snorted.

"Should have known that would happen"

"Well it has – so what do we do, Susan?"

"Well" Susan Bones replied, "Shaklebolt is raising merry hell over Harry not attending an appointment so he can be arrested, so the rumour is that he is going to take him to court for Treason and Murder"

"Murder?" Hermione blinked and set down her tea. "Who did he kill?"

"He's supposed to have killed a pair of Unspeakables that went to his house. However, from tests we did on the bodies, they were dead hours before he was supposed to have done it"

"We both know Harry – he'd never have killed them unless they tried to attack him. Beside" Hermione mused, "He's not got in touch with me"

"Well the Minister has issued a Kill or Capture notice for him, but most of the Aurors I have spoken to intend to ignore that command. Most of the force know he just wants to be left alone to live his life in peace. If he wants to go to work like a Muggle, well the best of British to him" Susan sighed.

"How many do you think might obey the order?"

"Twenty or so – mostly old members of the Order of the Phoenix" Susan replied. "You know, as far as I can see, we have three options"

"They are…?" Hermione looked back at her friend.

"First, we could kill or capture Harry"

"Not happening"

"Second, we do nothing and hope it all blows over"

"I can see the minister letting that take place"

"Third, we arrest the Minister and declare a state of Emergency. I have talked to the rest of the Department Heads, Hermione, and they've agreed to it in principle. The only issue with that is Harry has to be in the Ministry for us to get Shaklebolt and the rest of them in one go"

"A coup…" Hermione whispered. "I'm not sure that is something I can help but worry about"

"Its not as if we can leave Harry on his own – we might not have been that close to him at Hogwarts, but me and Hannah are right behind him. If we don't do the coup, there is only one other option"

"I know" Hermione looked at pictures that graced her office walls. "Contact the others" she said at last. "Tell them to Execute Case Orange"

"Right" and Susan stood up and left without another word being said.

#

The clock chimed eleven in the evening, the television was playing a documentary and yet Harry was not concerned with either. Although he had told Nyssa he was a free minded person and she could come and go as she pleased, he'd still reminded her that, technically, he was her guardian and that she would be back before ten or he'd be somewhat upset. Finishing the brandy he was sipping from, he stood up and was about to apparate to the cinema when he saw the door open, slam shut and a blur ran past him and raced up the stairs – a slamming bedroom door the only indication that it was his charge/ward/employee. Assuming that something had gone wrong, he went into the kitchen and made Nyssa a cup of tea before walking upstairs and knocking on her bedroom door.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"Yeah"

"I think not… I don't have to read your mind to know something upset you" Harry said and set her cup of tea on her bedside table. "You want to talk about it?" he asked.

"We went to the cinema to watch the film and then went to the under-18's club for a little while" the clearly shaken girl said. "David, the guy I was seeing, said it would be easier to get a taxi if we cut through the graveyard. I've done it a few times, Harry, so I thought everything was going to be alright. We got to the bit at the far side where nobody can see when he whistled loudly" she broke off and took several mouthfuls of tea as if to fortify herself for what she was going to say next. Harry, meanwhile, was beginning to understand what might very well have happened and was trying to remain calm.

"I know this is hard for you" he said, "A friend of mine went through it at school, but you need to tell me what happened"

"Guess so" Nyssa whispered. "I asked what David was doing and he told me he was going out with me because I looked pretty and cute… I guessed what he wanted to do to me, so I started running – but his friends caught up to me and they dragged me back to one of those old grave tomb things. They started pawing at me like they were on drugs or something, then they threw me over the top and… and… and…" Nyssa suddenly stopped talking before launching herself into Harry's outstretched and waiting arms. He simply held her close as she sobbed her heart out into his chest as all the pieces fell into place.

"Nys… I know this is hard, but I have to know – did they rape you?" and she simply burst into fresh tears and nodded against his shirt.

"It hurt, Harry… I asked them to stop, but they laughed so much and it kept hurting so much" and, as she spilled out the rest of the details, Harry was hard pressed not to explode on the spot.

"I need to make a call to a Healer friend of mine. I have known her for years, Nyssa, and I would trust her with my very life. I know you want to get in the shower and scrub yourself red raw, but we need all the evidence"

"I know" she whispered. Harry stood, went to the door and then briefly looked back. Instead of the bright and bubbly girl, all he could see was a frightened, scared, angry, hurt young woman who was confused as to why it had happened to her. He took the stairs two at a time and crossed over to his fireplace and tossed a fistful of powder into it and shoved his head in.

"Megan Jones" he said and there was a brief flash before he could see her office. "Megan, its Harry"

" _Harry, how are you_?"

"Mad as fuck… I need you to come to my place at once. That girl who is staying with me has been injured and…" he hesitated and that was all that Megan needed to know.

" _I'll grab my kit and come over at once_ " she said. " _Want me to alert the Aurors_?"

"Best maybe you just tell Susan and Hermione to come over"

" _Most likely for the best_ " Megan moved around her office grabbing things off a shelf and tossing them into a bag. " _When they get there, what are you three going to do_?"

"Get Nyssa some justice… I think I know who ordered this, Megs, and I am going to take them down by force" and he pulled out of the fireplace without saying another word.

#

It took a few minutes before Megan, her assistant, Hermione and Susan were all in the manor and attending to Nyssa. They scanned her, recorded all of their findings and then examined her – when Harry's suspicions were confirmed, he went apocalyptic and formed a single plan in his mind.

"Do you still have your HA coins?"

"Never forget to leave the house without it" Susan said, pulling her coin out to show it to Harry and Hermione.

"Hopefully the others have kept theirs as well" Harry said, pulling out his own coin and tapping the 'head' side and thought a simple message.

 _From: Harry_

 _To: All HA Members_

 _Message:_

 _Assemble in the Ministry of Magic in ten minutes ready for battle_

 _Message Ends_

"What are you going to do?" asked Susan.

"What I should have done ages ago, Susan… I'm going to remove the Minister from power" Harry growled, raised his wand and summoned his Auror grade armour as well as the dragon hide vest he had had made by the Goblins. "Can you ask Megan to certify her findings and report – Hermione, you can witness it. I want to know which Aurors did this to Nyssa and where they might be found"

"That's easy" Susan said and produced a small piece of parchment from her robe pocket. "Megan found magical signatures for Aurors Smith, Johnson, Gillyflower and Wilson. I checked the cemetery and found their magical traces there as well"

"Tell me where to find those responsible, then dig more graves" Harry said.

"They should have all been on duty at the Ministry" Hermione said.

"Good…" he walked to the fireplace.

"Where are you going?" asked Hermione.

"I'm the Head of the DMLE and Chief Auror… I'm _very_ late for work" and he flooed away to the Ministry – leaving the two young women wearing worried looks behind him.

#

Several of the duty Auror guard had been called to discover what was the purpose behind the gathering of three dozen armed and armoured witches and wizards in the atrium of the Ministry. Not one of the four got a reply, nor did they receive one until Harry stroke out of the floo connection.

"Sir, you do know there is a warrant out for your arrest?" one of them tried.

"I do"

"Just… just checking. Um… What are you here for?" asked the Auror.

"To put right a terrible crime. These people are with me – you will answer any questions they have and obey all orders they give you. I want you to stop people leaving the Ministry and secure all exit points" Harry growled.

"Sir"

"One other thing"

"Yes?"

"Where can I find Aurors Smith, Johnson, Gillyflower and Wilson?"

"We saw them heading to the Minister's office, Sir" another of them found their voice.

"Very well. HA, split off into your old sections and deploy as per Case Orange. Sections 1 and 2 will follow me – move out!" and the previously stationary mass of people suddenly started moving, breaking up into smaller groups and heading off in different directions. Some took up guard over the floo points, some over the disguised lift, more still over the apparaition points whilst the rest moved onto each floor and secured it. "You two" Harry pointed at the two Aurors who had not yet spoken, "Arrest the security wizard and ensure he does not speak. If Susan Bones, Hermione Granger or Megan Jones arrive here, send them to the Minister's office"

"Yes, Sir"

"Good" Harry said and moved off for the lifts – eight witches and wizards following close behind him.

"This is just like the old days" said Michael Corner.

"In the old days, none of us had to worry about shit like this" Harry reminded him as they moved for the correct floor.

"I'm just glad it never came to the act of a coup"

"We're removing the Minister on charges of murder, treason, rape, theft, deception and anything else I can think of" Harry fingered his wand gently. "After that, I shall put into place the protocol for fresh elections and then resign from all my posts and positions within the Ministry except for those that are ceremonial"

"Why?" asked Michael.

"I have had enough of this world, more or less, and I'm sick of being the go-to-thing for people when dark magicals rock up… Time for me to take things easy"

"We heard you were living as a muggle" a sing-song voice said gently.

"Not entirely – I just work with them" and, at that moment, the lift doors opened on both lift shafts and Harry walked out with the surviving members of Harry's Army forming a block behind him. Four of them stayed behind, however, to secure the lifts and stop anybody from escaping that way. Witches and wizards stuck their heads out of offices at the sound of unified marching – memories of Voldemort's forces was still vivid in their minds – and then ducked back again at the look of pure anger on Harry's face. Opening the door, he stormed into the outer office and moved towards the remaining barrier between him and Shaklebolt.

"What are you doing here? You can't go in there – the Minister is in a meeting" his secretary said.

"Good" Harry said. "Michael, arrest and detain the secretary – search her and her desk for evidence"

"Yes, Sir" Michael Corner, although not an Auror, treated the situation with the gravity it deserved. A pair of witches took her away as Corner and a couple of wizards started going through the drawers and cabinets for any evidence that an attack on Nyssa had been ordered. That left Harry down to those that had stuck with him during the final fight, and, taking a look at each of them and nodding sharply, he blasted the door off the hinges and stormed in.

"YOU!" Shaklebolt said as he got to his feet. "How dare you come in here like this – you are under arrest for murder"

"Shut the fuck up" Harry said.

"Get him" Shaklebolt ordered. The Aurors in the room went for their wands but, although fast, the HA was simply faster and took them down with a wide range of stunners.

"I know what you did to Nyssa" Harry stood on the other side of the desk.

"Who?"

"You don't even know her name…" Harry's fist struck Shaklebolt and sent him crashing into his chair which wobbled and remained upright. "A Muggle under my protection was attacked by these sad excuses for Aurors and raped repeatedly – I have that recorded by a Senior Healer at St Mungos. It is bad enough that you try to have me arrested for murder and treason, but to try and get through me by way of a Muggle that is both under my protection and card carrying is beyond all reason, Minister. Mind you" Harry added, withdrawing his wand, "That is something I don't have to call you anymore"

"I am the Minister" Shaklebolt said, rising to his feet again. "You can not remove me from office"

"I can and am" Harry said. "Minutes ago, I ordered a reserve group of Aurors, not under the direct control of the Ministry, to execute Case Orange. That means, you piece of shit, that they now control all key installations and positions in the Ministry. And" Harry leaned in close and grinned in a way that would make Goblins proud, "You never resigned as an Auror – so that means you serve me"

"Serve you? A filthy half blood? Never"

"Oh, but you do… Kingsley Shaklebolt, I hereby charge you as being unfit to lead Magical Britain and trying to create a dictatorship. As such, I hereby relieve you of your position forthwith. Kingsley Shaklebolt, as a serving Auror, I hereby charge you with dereliction of duty, gross insubordination, theft, robbery, burglary, attempted line theft, fraud, deception, ordering unsanctioned missions using Auror and Ministry personnel, assault, actual bodily harm, grievous bodily harm, attempted rape and ordering rape, false detention… I'll skip the other thirty seven charges"

"Thank you" Shaklebolt said sarcastically.

"You are entirely welcome. As Chief Auror and head of the Department for Magical Law Enforcement, I hereby order an immediate General Court Martial for you and those that you ordered to attack my friend. Dean" he turned to the tall black man that had been his fellow Gryffindor.

"Harry?"

"Go to the DMLE place and send two messages. The first is to Griphook at Gringotts and have him enact the first part of the plan. The second is to issue recall orders to all Aurors wherever they may be at this moment in time. Call in those that are off duty except those on medical leave – I'm cleaning house, and we're doing it in full public view. Seamus, go into the Alley and have a representative of the press from each publication and radio station turn up to Courtroom 1 in two hours" and both men nodded and quickly left.

"Ah, you've done it" Hermione's voice filtered through to Harry and some of his anger dissipated as he turned to look at her.

"I was just going to arrest them and try them, Mione, but it occurred to me that I can clean up the Ministry and try them at the same time"

"GCM?"

"GCM" Harry confirmed. "All Aurors are being recalled to the Ministry except those on medical rest leave. While they trickle in, I want you to organise a complete closure of the complex – all non Ministry people are to leave at once. All Department heads will meet me in the Auror briefing room in twenty minutes so I can inform them of whats going on. Susan?" he glanced at the former Hufflepuff standing behind Hermione.

"Yes?"

"Turn Out The Guard" he ordered. "I want these excuses for humanity taken down to the maximum security cells, stripped, put into prison clothing and placed into magic restraining cuffs. Once done, dose them to the gills with Truth Serum and question them until they are blue in the face"

"Harry…" Hermione spoke up quietly, "Are you sure you are alright?"

"Not really, but what happened to Nyssa has, sadly, given me the opportunity to clean up the darkness that still is embedded in the Ministry. Once I have finished with their GCMs, I will set up elections, put into place an Acting Minister and then resign as I said"

#

"BRING IN THE ACCUSED!" Harry said. He had spoken to the rest of the Department Heads and they'd all been shocked at what had happened. They'd all been taken in by Shaklebolt's lies and smoothness – none had ever thought that he would stoop so low as to order what he had done. The former Minister and the Aurors were brought into Courtroom One, the largest one they had, and placed into chairs. Each prisoner was guarded by a member of the HA or a member of the Aurors that Harry knew and trusted well. They were shoved into chairs wearing prison robes and secured with conjured ropes and chains around their arms, middles and legs. After Harry and the others had reviewed the evidence, it was a certainty what the verdicts would be. However, it was important to Harry that their terrible crimes were shown in public.

"I demand that you let us go" Shaklebolt said. "All we were doing was for the greater good – to stop you going dark" and Harry noted that none of the Aurors involved seemed to be speaking.

"No" Harry said. "Members of the Court, it is alleged that, earlier this evening, former Minister Kingsley Shaklebolt orders a small detachment of Aurors to travel to the island where I live and torture and rape a Muggle that was aware of magic and who was under my protection. As there was a chance the Ministry was protecting the culprits, a few of my most trusted friends and advisors began Case Orange – a complete takeover and lockdown of the Ministry. I gathered the Department Heads together and informed them of what happens, and, surprisingly, they have agreed to serve on the General Courts Martial for the accused. When just myself and a few others stood against Voldemort, it was for a fair and free world – a world that was free of terror and corruption. Perhaps we should have looked more at ourselves then those we defeated. Of course, I knew this would happen and formed a group that would be able to take over the moment I gave the word" Harry took a deep breath before starting again. "Does anybody wish to defend the accused?" but nobody stepped forward. "Very well, start displaying the questioning" and, over the next five hours, each visual record was played in painful detail and the entire court was full of a mixture and anger, rage, disgust and pity for Nyssa. After that came Megan's official report which made for grim reading with multiple castings of the Cruciatus Curse in combination of the rapes.

"What we did, we did for the greater good" Shaklebolt said. "We have done some terrible things, but it is for the good of the public. Potter, you have to be locked away and married off in order to be kept in the Light"

"Your defence is so noted" Harry was trying very hard not to simply kill Shaklebolt out of hand. "Members of the panel, you have heard and seen the questioning conducted previous to this hearing. You have also heard the testimony of a skilled and dedicated Auror. Do you require the testimony of the victim or are you willing to pass judgement based on what you have heard?"

"I think we're willing to pass judgement on what we've heard" Professor Tofty said. She had sat silently through each person's testimony through truth serum, paled at all the grim details spoken and would not have stopped Harry if he'd moved to kill them. In fact, she'd been thinking about helping him herself.

"All those who believe the accused to be guilty, raise your hands" Harry said, and every hand shot up like a thunderbolt. "I think we can skip the question of innocence" he gave a grim chuckle. "Accused, you have been found guilty of your crimes. Do you have anything to say in mitigation of your crimes?"

"May I say something?" asked Gillyflower. Harry looked the other panel members whom all nodded.

"You may"

"I know I am going to die, that much is certain. I doubt there is anything I can do to make good the terrible crime I did. I just wish to apologise for the shame I have brought upon my family line, to apologise to the girl involved and to my children who I have let down and will not be there for"

"You have children?" Harry asked.

"Twins, Sir" Gillyflower replied. "Rest of the family died during the reign of terror and now I am all they have left"

"GUARDS!" Harry said and they all snapped to attention. "Remove Gillyflower from the room and taking him to detention" and they released the bindings on his feet and walked him out of the court. "I will deal with him later… Members of the panel, having found the accused guilty, and disregarding application to the man who was just removed, what say you to the punishment that should be imposed?"

"With the Chair's leave" Tofty stood up. "I have been asked to announce our decision. We, the panel, have decided that all of the accused before us should be sentenced to death by firing squad and their bodies sent through the veil. Their estates are to be confiscated and the maximum fines taken out and given to the victim – minus items used in trust funds for children or dependants"

"Thank you for your decision" Harry said. "The prisoners, with the exception mentioned, will be taken to the Death Chamber and executed at sunrise. The Court Martial is dismissed" and the court, which had been very silent, erupted into heated discussions as Harry rose from the bench and went down to the cells.

Deep down in the current blackness of his heart, a little candle was burning

#

"You put me in a difficult position"

"Yes, Sir"

"According to the law, and my desire, you should be executed along with the others"

"Yes, Sir"

"I was set to do it too" Harry said, "But I will not leave somebody without parents. How old are they?"

"Twins are just over two years old" Gillyflower scratched the stubbed that lined his face. "Don't know if I will ever see them again, mind you"

"You will" Harry said.

"Sir?"

"Despite the fact that you should be put to death, I will not leave children without parents where possible. You were a Senior Auror"

"Aye… One of the best, I was told – guess I blew that"

"I believe so" Harry said with a chuckle. "I want to hate you, Gillyflower, I really do… The others showed no regret, but you displayed utter regret and self disgust at what you did. It did not come out during your questioning, but Shaklebolt threatened you did he not?"

"Yes… Said he'd have me killed and my children either killed or sent to a Pureblood family"

"I see… This is what you will get as punishment. You will be fined twice as much as the others have been before their executions. Normally, I'd be inclined to send you to Azkaban for a decade, but I have your children to think about"

"Sir?"

"You will retain your status as Senior Auror, but you will have little power behind that title. You will serve for five years as an Instructor at the Auror academy and then, once your children are old enough to go to primary school, you will serve two weeks a month as Warden of Azkaban – flooing from there back home every evening to take care of your children"

"Why, sir?"

"Why that as a punishment? Because I know what it is like to grow up without parents… If I was to execute you, your children would grow up just like I did – that is something I swore I would never allow to happen. Of course" Harry added, "I could just as easily put you up against the wall and have a squad make ready"

"I'll take it" Gillyflower said. "I will do what it takes to repay what can never be repaid"

"Good" Harry flicked his wand and vanished the chains and ropes that held the other man. "You can start by commanding the firing squad yourself"

"Yes, Sir"

#

The fireplace roared into life and Harry stepped through it. Tossing his armour onto a chair without a care, he rushed upstairs to Nyssa's room. Megan Jones and her assistant were just administering a potion to the girl who looked at Harry with bloodshot and tear marked eyes.

"Harry?" Megan needed not to say any more.

"Yeah… It's done"

"Good. If it were not for my Healer's Oath, I would have killed them myself for what they did"

"I know, Megs…"

"I could have done it" Smith piped up. "I haven't taken my Oath yet"

"I would have let you" Harry smiled weakly, "But I couldn't get hold of any mashed potato. How is she?"

"A lot calmer then what she is supposed to be, but that is down to the Calming Draughts I've been giving her. I tried to get her to sleep, but her will defeated the intention of the potions I gave her for that. I've fixed the rest of the physical stuff, but I would recommend that she see a Mind Healer. I know a little of it, of course, but she should really see a professional"

"I don't like the thought of taking her to St Mungos" Harry replied. "I have done a lot of good, Megan, but I have also made a fresh set of enemies this day"

"I'll see what I can arrange… Off the books"

"Thank you"

"Harry?" Nyssa's voice made all three of them turn to look at her under the covers and in bed.

"Hey"

"Did you get them?" she asked quietly.

"Rounded up my old friends and we got them" he confirmed.

"Sorry"

"For what? You have nothing to be sorry for"

"I should have used that Portkey thingie, but I was so scared and frightened that I forgot" she hugged him the moment he came within range of her arms.

"Maybe, but that is in the past now… You should get some rest – talk in the morning"

"I'm sorry I failed you"

"I just said you have nothing to be sorry for, Nys… Now just lie back and let the potions take care of you"

"'kay" she muttered as she let her mind rest at last and fell asleep before her head hit the pillow.

"Hope the bastards die in hell" Harry muttered as he tucked her in fully. "Healers, I thank you both for your service to Nyssa. What you have done will, I know, help her tremendously in the days to come"

"It was our duty, Mr Potter" Megan replied.

"It was an honour to help you, no matter how sad the circumstances" replied Smith.

"Ah… That reminds me" Harry fished around in his pocket and pulled out a small package that he unshrunk with a tap of his wand. "For you, Healer Smith"

"Me?" Smith blinked several times before taking the offered package and opening it. It was a t-shirt in her size with an image from Harry's memories of the battle of Hogwarts. It was the few moments they stood together with Smith flinging mashed potato at the Dark Lord.

 _ **I SURVIVED THE**_

 _ **GREAT VOLDEMORT FOOD FIGHT**_

 _ **AND**_

 _ **ALL I GOT WAS THIS**_

 _ **LOUSY T-SHIRT**_

"Do you have one for me?" asked Megan.

"Sure" Harry said, passing her another package. This one had no picture but bore the words

 _ **I GOT TO FONDLE**_

 _ **HARRY POTTER**_

 _ **AND I**_

 _ **LIKED IT**_

"When did I get to fondle you?"

"After we took down the Lutre gang" Harry replied.

"Ah… I remember"

"I thought you might" Harry gave a genuine chuckle for the first time since the previous day. After thanking them again, the Healers flooed away and left Harry alone with Nyssa. After leaving his bedroom door open, he kicked off his shoes, lay on top of his bed and soon went into a restless sleep.

#

When Harry awoke, the first thing he did was shower and change his clothes. After checking in on Nyssa, he went downstairs and telephoned the school to tell them that Nyssa had been struck down with a vomiting bug and that he'd been too busy in dealing with her to ring them any earlier.

" _Oh… Please pass on the fact we want her to get well soon_ " the receptionist said. Harry promised he would and then hung up. After that, he made a pot of tea, did some toast and then returned to Nyssa's room. Placing the tray on her bedside table, he gently shook her by the shoulder and she stirred weakly before her eyes snapped open and darted around in fear before realising she was in a safe place.

"Afternoon, sleepy head… I made you some tea and toast" Harry gestured at the tray.

"Thank you" Nyssa said quietly. "I had a good sleep, but I guess that was because of the potions the doctors gave me"

"We call them Healers, but yeah… Megan did her very best work for me, off the books of course, and she'll try and sneak over here this evening to see how you are doing"

"What happened?" Nyssa asked before sitting up in bed and bringing the tray onto her lap.

"I got a few friends together" Harry said, "We stormed the Ministry of Magic, took it over, sat in judgement over the ones that did it and then had them executed"

"You had them killed?" Nyssa's hand froze in the act of bringing a cup to her mouth.

"We technically still have the death penalty, Nys, so I made sure that all but one of them paid the ultimate price for hurting you and crossing me"

"What happened to that one?"

"I was going to put him to death with the others, but he had children… Whatever I am, I am not a man who orphans children" and Nyssa nodded before sipping the tea.

"While I was waiting for you to come back and those Healers were doing their mumbo jumbo on me" she gave a small smile which Harry took to be a good sign, "I was wondering why God allowed it to happen. I have tried to live a good life, I really have, so why did he not stop them?"

"You have to ask the tough ones, don't you…? I am not qualified or competent to answer on matters of your faith, Nyssa, but a friend who is much alike to you once said that whatever higher power is up there sometimes allows these terrible things to happen – that it helps us to become better and stronger people"

"Was she Catholic too?"

"No" Harry shook his head with a smile, "But she was one of the most insightful people I have ever met. She sometimes goes off on a complete ramble, but what she says is almost always true in one way or another. I don't know what to do, but I could call your priest or maybe a nun"

"I think they'd notice the magic"

"I can put a stop to that while they are here"

"Would you mind?"

"What should I say to them?"

"Just that I need spiritual help – I'll tell them the rest when I get to see them"

"Well you shall get anything you need – I have to have you up and about as quick as possible"

"Why?" and Harry gave her a hard look.

"Do you _really_ want me to tidy my own house up?"

"Prat" and the old Nyssa started to break through once more.

"That's my girl" Harry chuckled and then went to the door. As he closed it he heard her mutter ' _Wish I was your girl_ "

#

 **A/N:**

 **Story was dark, but it serves a purpose in a later chapter...**

 **Well, I hope you enjoyed this new chapter and I look forward to reading your reviews**

 **Regards**

 **Pixel and Stephanie Forever**


	6. Return to Hogwarts

**Return to Hogwarts**

February turned to March and Nyssa seemed to get over what had happened to her – though she often got nightmares and wouldn't go out at night unless it was either with Harry or with a group of her friends.

"Ah, you are just the man I wanted to see" the voice of the Fat Controller brought Harry out of his thoughts as he came walking over towards him with a man in the blue overalls of a shed worker.

"Sir?" Harry propped up the brush he was using and stood up to face the pair.

"This is Mr Liopel" the Fat Controller said, gesturing at the man beside him. "A couple of our Firemen have all retired at the same time and we're a little short on footplate crews" and Harry started to wonder but wasn't about to raise his hopes too high.

"I'd heard that some of the smaller branches had had their trains cancelled so the rest of the network had enough staff" he agreed.

"Now normally" the Fat Controller went on, "You would have to spend at least a few months to a year as a cleaner before becoming a passed cleaner and firing trains when needs must. However, I know that you've been helping the shunter from time to time"

"Yes, Sir" Harry replied, "Percy and Duck are great to talk to – even if Duck goes on and on about the Great Western"

"If you'd like" spoke Liopel, "You can take up duties starting next Tuesday on the morning shift from 6am. Until we can get a footplate examiner to fully pass you out as a fireman, you'll be restricted to shunting around the yard and small local trip workings"

"Thank" Harry grinned.

"Sir Topham Hatt has told me of your domestic arrangements"

"What about them?" Harry's grin fell, vanished and then started backing up into hostility.

"Just that you are looking after an underaged girl"

"She was abused by her own father whilst working for me" Harry said. "It seem the thing to do to give her a home"

"Indeed… Well we shall see how things go for now, and maybe change a few things around to help you a little. Good day" and he turned and walked away.

"I thought you were going to hit him" said the Fat Controller.

"About three seconds from throwing curses at him" Harry admitted.

"How is Miss Mayerle?" the Fat Controller looked around before talking quietly.

"Doing well… I have had a few mind healers come over and sort out her issues on the quiet, but it will be a long time before the nightmares go away"

"I can imagine. Look, why don't you go home and be with her? The schools should just about be coming out by now"

"Still got two hours of the shift to do" Harry said, gesturing to the piles of stones he was moving around.

"I'll have a word with the Chargehand" came the Fat Controller's reply. "I know that you spend every minute working when you are not trying to get her well again, and its not as if you need the money"

"True" Harry shrugged. Harry finished his little pile before both he and the Fat Controller flagged down a passing slow goods hauled by James to take them to the station. He went to the booking on place, informed them of his new job and then booked out and headed to the canteen for a well earned meal before heading for the platform to hop onto Thomas as the little tank engine was going light engine to the quarry to recover some broken trucks for repairs. Thomas was his best engine friend and they would sometimes talk to each other if they both had time to spare.

#

Nyssa was going round the house doing some dusting and polishing whilst listening to some music at a loud volume. School had been cancelled for the day and so she had taken the opportunity to restock the cupboards, fridge, freezer and pantry to Harry's liking. She'd even managed to get beer from the shop as Harry had set up a Standing Order that transferred the same amount each week to one of the off-licences and Nyssa was, therefore, merely picking it up. Stopping her task for the moment, she went into the kitchen and checked on the dinner that was bubbling on the stove top before bending down for a second to check on the garlic bread that was to go with the bolognaise.

"HAIL THE CONQUERING HERO!" Harry bellowed at the top of his voice. He was not drunk, but the quote served to prove to Nyssa that Harry was not some wizard or witch in disguise.

"You're home early" she remarked.

"I got the rest of my shift off and a new job" Harry replied, opening the fridge and pulling out a beer. After a couple of seconds filled with decision making, he pulled a second one out and gave it to the girl.

"Somebody is in a good mood" Nyssa opened the bottle and sipped gently from it.

"Got promoted to Fireman" Harry sank back into the chair, kick off his shoes and stuck his foot up on a footstool. "Fat Controller said that there was no point in me taking the normal route because I've been doing spare firing around the yard and doing some of the night classes"

"How?" Nyssa frowned as she sipped her beer again.

"Magic" Harry smirked and then dodged the pair of cushions that Nyssa sent flying towards him. "After the Ministry was back under our control, I decided to go through the debris and I stole a couple of Time Turners. I should have turned them in to the right people, but everything was such a mess of confusion and rumours. Even when Voldemort had been defeated, there were still pockets of his followers to clean up, copy-cat and glory attacks… A few of us didn't like what the Ministry was doing, so the surviving members of the group that formed to learn to fight back decided to keep knowledge of the Time Turners amongst ourselves"

"Can you… Can you go back in time and stop what happened to me?" Nyssa asked quietly.

"I can… But I won't" Harry replied. "What happened to you has made you stronger in yourself and your beliefs – I can't take that away from you, Nys, even if you pleaded with me"

"I know… I thought I would ask, though"

"I got the weekend off before starting doing the morning shift on Monday – anywhere you'd like to go or do?" he asked.

"There are a few things, sure, but I don't want to upset you by asking"

"I am not buying you a motorbike"

"Not that… I wanted to see where you went to school"

"Hogwarts?" Harry's hand froze in the action of taking another swig of his beer. "The exile for me is over, and I _can_ return to the magical world, but what reasons do I have? Once more I am treated as a deity" he sighed and finished his bottle before setting it down on the table. "This weekend… If you still want to go, we'll go this weekend"

"Should I wear anything special?"

"Your uniform without the blazer" Harry shrugged. "Maybe a jumper or something" and then he grinned. "Actually, lets go tomorrow" he said.

"Why tomorrow?"

"Why not? Besides, weekend travel via Portkey and stuff is always a little busier – lets go to school and scare the living hell out of them"

"Scare them?"

"Well somebody like me should turn up in their best clothes – my best clothes include both metal and dragon hide armour, a dress cloak and a gold handled sword that has basilisk venom in it"

"A sword? You have a sword?"

"Did I never tell you?" asked Harry with a frown. "Hang on a tick and I'll get it for you" he took his wand out from the holster on his arm. " _Accio Gryffindor's Sword_ " and there was a rumbling and rattling before the sword came down and hovered in front of Harry. "This is the sword of Godric Gryffindor – one of the founders of my school. It was made by Goblins over a thousand years ago" he reached out and took it out of the air and into his firm grip. "The first time I held it was to kill a basilisk to save a girl from death. After that, it was kept hidden away for fear that evil would gain hold and use it to create chaos from order. I never saw it again for years until the final battle at Hogwarts when one other called for its power and strength. Once it was all over, I took the sword and hid it away – leaving a copy in its place. Like the Time Turner, there was too much danger of it being used for evil and foul purposes…"

"You stole it?"

"Yes, but only to keep it safe. Nyssa, when I say I am a powerful Wizard, I want you to know exactly what I mean. Apart from the sword and the ability to travel in time, I also hold the three instruments of Death"

"I don't understand"

"I have three wands in my possesetion – my own, the wand I took from Draco Malfoy in a duel and the Elder Wand. The last I mentioned has the power to do almost anything you could ever wish for. I have also a cloak of invisibility that will hide you from everything – even from death" Harry turned the sword over in his hands. "The third item is a Resurrection Stone… A magical device, of sorts, that can summon the spirits of the dead. Use all three together, and you can bring somebody back from death – raise whole armies of the undead"

"Can I look at the sword?" asked Nyssa.

"Yes, but be careful with it" Harry warned. "For over a thousand years, no muggle has ever seen it – nor even touched it. I do not know what it might do to you"

"There's blood on here… looks like human blood" Nyssa gently pulled the sword from the scabbard.

"I know" Harry said quietly. "One time I took this into battle with me, I had to do something I am not proud of doing. It had to be done, don't mistake me, but I will never be proud of what I did"

"Will you tell me?" asked Nyssa.

"Maybe, but not tonight"

"Why?"

"Because its dinner time. I will tell you nearly everything, Nyssa Petronella Mayerle, but there are some things that, if you were told, could lead to a civil war and I want to avoid that. I have seen things you wouldn't believe. I have lost things you will never understand. And I know things, secrets that must never be told and knowledge that must never be spoken. Over time, I will tell you most, but some secrets must go with me to the grave"

"I think I understand" Nyssa whispered as she could feel the power in the sword that was held in her hands. She rose and went to the kitchen.

"The sword?" Harry held out his hand for it.

"Are you kidding?" Nyssa smiled, "This will be useful in cutting up the garlic bread" and she slipped into the kitchen.

"Destroyer of monsters, of Horcruxes, of hopes and lives… Now it's reduced to kitchenware" Harry shook his head, got up from his favourite seat and headed upstairs to change. Before Nyssa's request, he intended to have as little as possible to do with the magical part of his life, but her innocent want had caused him to rethink a few things. He was, after all, Harry Potter, and could do whatever he wanted. If he wanted to live and work like a muggle, then that is what he would do. If he wanted to walk into Hogwarts with one in tow completely unannounced, he would do that as well.

#

The Portkey landed them within feet of the gates of Hogwarts and Nyssa gasped at the size of the grounds surrounding the castle that still, even years after, bore scares of the fighting that had taken a heavy toll.

"It's one thing to see it in pictures" she said.

"But quite another to see it in real life. You remind me of the time I saw it before starting my first year" Harry chuckled.

"Do we knock?" she asked.

"Normally we would wait to be escorted to the castle" Harry replied, stepping forwards to open the gates, "But I am Lord Harry James Potter – I do not wait" and they walked up the long path to the castle. To Nyssa, it looked as if it was straight of a fairy tale and she could see moving dots in the distance. To her right, she could see the glinting of sunlight reflected off panes of glass as well as a hut of some sort that Harry seemed to not want to notice. "What do you want to do first?" he asked as they finally reached the castle.

"I want to see something cool" came the reply from the teenager.

"Hmm…" Harry mused, "Want to see my old House?" and Nyssa nodded. They opened the huge wooden doors and stepped inside, closing it quietly behind them and then walked along the stone corridors and up the many stairs before they came to a portrait of a large lady dressed in pink.

"Good Morning" Harry said, "Would you care to open up for me?" and the Fat Lady frowned and squinted hard at the waiting pair.

"I do not know her, but you seem familiar"

"I am familiar to you, but you can open up for me and my guest" Harry said calmly, brushing his cloak aside to reveal the sword sitting in its scabbard and hanging from his belt.

"Yes, Sir… Of course"

"Thank you – and tell the other portraits they are not to tell anybody of my arrival or who is with me"

"Yes, My Lord" and she swung open to admit Harry and Nyssa.

"Welcome to Gryffindor House" Harry grandly swept his hand around the room. "This is where I lived for all the time I was at Hogwarts. This is the common room where people would sit to relax, play games, do homework or have house meetings when needed". The red and gold furnishings were almost as Harry had remembered them, the chair that seemed to be the most squidgy still stood sentry in the corner, the Gryffindor crest hung on the wall over the unlit fireplace and a few pupils littered the room here and there. They looked up from their activities to see the strangers and eyes widened at the imposing figure that Harry cut. "You will tell nobody of my arrival, nor that of the person I am with – understand"

"Yeah" came the muttered replies.

"Good" Harry smiled inside. "Professor Flitwick is teaching, I presume?"

"The First Years, Sir" a Seventh Year said to him.

"Then off we go to Charms class" and Nyssa followed him out of the room and back to the corridor.

"Are the other three houses like that?"

"Sort of" Harry replied, "But each is decorated to the theme of that house. We're going to Charms and see one of the few teachers I actually liked here – Professor Flitwick"

"Why them?"

"He was fair to everybody, never favoured his own house too much" Harry said, remembering Snape always taking the side of a Slytherin other that of any other House. They went down the many corridors and Nyssa gazed with a wondrous expression at the moving portraits, suits of armour and tapestries.

"I would have loved to go to school in a place like this"

"Some of the best times of my life happened here" Harry replied, pushing open a door he was sure hadn't been there when he was a pupil. He was astonished to see three older Slytherins attacking a second year Hufflepuff girl.

"We'll teach you to be subservient to your betters…" one said. " _Crucio_ " and the girl started twitching in pain before Harry withdrew his sword and stormed forward to smash the wand clean in two.

"What the bloody hell are you doing here?" he thundered.

"And who the fuck are you?" sneered one of the trio.

"I am Lord Harry James Potter – former Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, winner of the Order of Merlin 1st Class on two occasions, undisputed and undefeated world duelling champion and the saviour of this country… Who the fuck are _you_?"

"Three older classmen trying to teach those beneath us their place in society"

"Not today, you are not. In fact, I advise that you return to your dorm and start packing because you'll need your things to decorate the cells in Azkaban" Harry withdrew his wand pointed it at the trio. A quick flick of it and they fell into a heap and were bound up in thick ropes and levitated into the air so they resembled mummies.

"Are you okay?" Nyssa bent to the floor to help the pain wracked Hufflepuff. She'd seen Harry's anger before, but it had been nothing compared to that which she had witnessed.

"It hurts" the girl said.

"My name is Nyssa – whats yours?"

"Jennifer. Why did they attack me? All I did was bump into them"

"They're just bullies" Nyssa said. "My friend is an expert on bullies and he doesn't like them at all. I mean, he even has an Anti-Bullying sword!" and Jennifer smiled faintly.

"Is he going to chop their heads off?" she asked.

"Not… Not entirely sure" Nyssa replied as she helped her to her feet. Harry was talking quietly to the three Slytherins but it was clear that, whatever it was, it was some very dark threats indeed.

"What class were you supposed to be in?" Harry glanced behind him to Jennifer.

"Charms class. That's with Professor Flitwick. He's kind of cute, but looks like a winkled toffee with dust and fluff on it" and Harry burst into a hearty chuckle. He had to assume that he had gone back to the appearance he had sported in his first two years of being at Hogwarts.

"Well I was heading that way too" Harry said. "So lets go to Charms class, have some angry words with Professor Flitwick before going to see the Headmistress whom I am also going to have some very strong words with" but then he seemed to change his mind. "Hang on – forget that… Lets do that first part, then we're off to the Hospital Wing to get you checked out. You might seem okay, but I bet you'll feel bad when the shock wears off"

"Yes, Sir" Jennifer looked down.

"Harry"

"Sorry?"

"My name is Harry… All my friends get to use it" and then girl suddenly brightened up.

#

Filius Flitwick, Professor of Charms at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry had seen many things in his life from the Marauders to the Battle of Hogwarts. His classroom, being one of the two classes where people could be really badly injured was warded against explosions. He was, therefore, surprised to see the door and doorway explode and splinters of wood and shards of stone flew around as some dust was kicked up. To his surprise, three bound students floated and bobbed into his classroom followed by a young Hufflepuff, a girl wielding the sword of Godric Gryffindor he couldn't say he knew of and followed up at the rear by a furious Harry Potter.

"I do not know what sort of school you are running here" Harry thundered, magic crackling in the air and making spark dance all around him, "But it is not the school I was at. Class, I am about to have some very funny and very strong words with your Professor. However, those are not words that are suitable for children. You!" he pointed at an utterly terrified Sixth Year. "You will run to Professor McGonagall and tell her she is wanted in the hospital wing. When she asks you why, tell her that Harry Potter has returned. And" he added with an evil smile, "That he is seriously pissed at her. The rest of you, the class is dismissed" and the entire class threw books into bags and hurried away. "Professor, walk with me" and he turned round and led the group out of the classroom and towards the hospital wing. Flitwick stood in place shaking from head to toe before giving off a frightened squeak and then running after the group. It was clear to him that Harry had encountered the older pupils attacking the Hufflepuff on an unexpected and unannounced visit – though the girl holding the sword of Godric Gryffindor was hard to place. He was sure that he would get his answers soon enough.

#

 _ **GONG**_

The sound filled the hospital wing the moment Harry cast the sound and the office door opened and out came a now very elderly Pomfrey.

"A long time since I last saw you" she said, and then she noticed the floating pupils, the girl with the sword, a shaking Hufflepuff and Flitwick.

"Healer, this girl has been attacked with some unknown spells as well as at least one _Crucio_ " Harry said. Anger was felt in every single one of the words he spoke and Pomfrey's gaze darted between him, the Hufflepuff and the floating stationary Slytherins.

"I see" and her expression turned dark. She guided the young girl over to the nearest bed and Nyssa followed them. "Please wait outside"

"Stay with her" Harry ordered.

"Aye, Aye, Sir" Nyssa grinned. Pomfrey sighed and closed the curtains around the bed and put up a silencing charm.

"I was under the impression that Hogwarts was, once more, a place of safety and of learning. I come by to show one of my friends and a protectorate of my Family where I grew up – only to find pupils not only bullying younger ones but using one of the Unforgiveables. I want an answer, Sir, or I will take this to the press and the Courts" and Flitwick was about to answer when Minerva McGonagall came rushing in.

"What is the meaning of this, Mr Potter?"

"Headmistress, I am here in my capacity as a Lord. I would appreciate it if you would refer to me by title" Harry replied.

"I apologise" McGonagall bowed her head. "Nevertheless, the question stands"

"I was showing a guest of mine around Hogwarts as part of an unplanned examination of the school. She'd asked to have a look around, being a muggle, and we were having a nice enough time until we came upon these three attacking a young Hufflepuff on her way to Charms class. I was amazed to see one of them cast _Crucio_ on her. I am sure that if I had not taken action against them, they would have seriously injured her or worse…"

"That does not give you the right to attack my students, Lord Potter" McGonagall protested.

"Headmistress, are you suggesting that I send you word by a runner or portrait?"

"Well…" the Headmistress spluttered, "Well… No, of course not"

"Should I have asked them politely to stop what they were doing? I may no longer be a student here, but I seem to recall that casting of the Unforgiveables was an outright Expulsion as well as a full investigation by the Auror department"

"Something you destroyed last month" and there was a deadly silence and Flitwick flinched as he assumed that Harry would outright unleash a massive volley of obscenities.

"Professor, I do not know what you have gone through since I left this place, but the Professor McGonagall I knew would never have spoken to anybody like that. Moreover, I would have thought that you had wards alerting you to such an attack on pupils"

"We… We couldn't afford them"

"Six months" Harry sighed. "Six bloody months and the whole world has gone to pot! Shall we move on to why the Hufflepuff was out of class? Jennifer told me on the way to Professor Flitwick's class that she had been cornered for some time"

"That I my fault and my fault alone" spoke the diminutive teacher. "I should have asked the Ghosts to go looking for her or asked her housemates. I did not do that, and I allowed her to be cornered and attacked – Minerva, you have my resignation effective as of now"

"I refuse to accept it"

"As do I" Harry said, placing his wand back into the holster on his wrist. "Professor, you always told us to learn from our mistakes – perhaps you should take your own advice? Headmistress, I shall not go to the governors of the school or to the press. We lost a great many people to get Hogwarts back to her former glory, and I am not about to let that slide back"

"No, My Lord… Would you care to release them?" she asked.

"Not until the Aurors have been sent for" Harry replied evenly. "What happened was criminal in the highest regard, and I think they should be called. As it happens, Jennifer is under the protection of the Potter Family as of now – I shall be taking a great interest in her well being" and flicked his wrist and each Slytherin dropped down onto a bed and stayed there. "Now I promised my guest a tour of Hogwarts… Might I borrow a pupil as a guide? We'll stay for lunch, too, so we'll be dining with my old House"

#

Nyssa was good to her word and stayed with the Hufflepuff until Harry said otherwise. Aurors arrived to arrest the trio of Slytherins after McGonagall had publically expelled them and snapped two of the wands – the third being the sole survivor and needed in the trial that was sure to come. The pair sat at the Gryffindor table and ate a rather pleasant lunch – Nyssa being a source of great interest given her non magical heritage. Although the girl had seen Harry smiling and happy many times since she had first known him, she'd never seen him happier than to be with his old House and helping the youngest with last minute homework. The hour was almost up when Harry asked a First Year a question before turning to Nyssa and asking if she wanted to go flying.

"But I am not magical" she reminded him.

"The magic is inside the broom" Harry told her. "The brooms are fairly slow, not like my Firebolt, so you should be able to use it. If not, you can ride with me" and Nyssa agreed. However, this was not because she wanted to ride a magic broomstick, but because it meant she'd get to put her arms around Harry's strong chest.

' _Where did_ that _come from?_ ' she thought.

"Can you pass me the soup?" Harry asked.

"Sure" Nyssa replied shakily. Harry raised an eyebrow in questioning, but he didn't ask her what the matter was – though the girl was sure he could read it from her mind if he so wished. As for Harry, it was clear that something was disturbing his young friend, but there _was_ tomato soup to be eaten with fresh bread rolls. It was a long standing piece of history amongst Gryffindor House that, should Harry come to lunch, one never got in the way of tomato soup – people had actually died the last time it happened.

#

When Harry and Nyssa joined the students for the flying lesson, Hooch was nowhere to be found. After getting a passing ghost to start a look around the castle, it turned out that flying instructor had broken her leg and couldn't take the lesson.

"Might as well bloody do it myself" Nyssa heard Harry quietly. "For those that do not know my name, I am Harry Potter. I used to be the Chief Auror and head of the Department for Magical Law Enforcement. When I was at Hogwarts, I took the same lessons that you did and I played Quidditch better than anyone in my time… So you will agree that I am able to teach you simple flying skills. The girl with me is a Muggle" and there were some gasps. "However, she is a Muggle that is card carrying, is aware of magic and whom is also under my protection. If you are rude towards her, I will speak to Professor McGonagall who will be very rude to you. Now" he added, "What have you got up to so far with Madam Hooch?"

"Please, Sir, we got up to making turns at medium speed over the grass" a Ravenclaw First year said.

"I see… Well, get your brooms up and mount them. If you all do what I say, I might find time to show you a few tricks that might make you like me better than Hooch" and the children giggled with laughter. Harry spent the next hour teaching them some flying techniques as well as a few little tricks suitable for somebody their ages. Nyssa noticed how his eyes lit up at teaching and wondered if he would take it up at a later point of his life. She was so distracted by her thoughts that it took her a few minutes to realise that the lesson was now over and Harry was watching her with an amused expression.

"What?" she covered up her lack of awareness.

"I asked if you wanted to go for a flight of the grounds with me" Harry said. Nyssa nodded and she sat on the broomstick and put her arms around Harry's stomach and held on tightly. They lifted off gently and Harry did a gentle spiralling pattern upwards before heading out over the Forbidden Forest and then turning gently to the left and lower to skim the surface of the lake.

"Its magical…" Nyssa breathed in another dose of delight and wonder.

"Is it?" Harry chuckled. "I hadn't noticed" and then he told her to hold on tight.

"Whyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy" Nyssa soon found out why as Harry rolled the broom right round so her head was briefly under the water. "That was mean" but Harry just laughed with delight and pleasure – leading the girl to wonder just how much stress he had been under during this magic war and whilst in self-imposed exile.

"Sorry" he replied and then kicked in some speed and headed towards the Quidditch pitch and flying in and out of the rings at breakneck speed – taking great joy at Nyssa's screams filling his eardrums. He twisted the broom this way and that – delighting in the wind blowing through his hair and generally showing off his skills as a broom rider.

"Can we land now?" Nyssa begged.

"Alright" and Harry did a final loop before settling on the ground near the main doors to Hogwarts. Nyssa shakily got off the broom and wobbled around a bit until she got her bearings once more. She was tingling with excitement at having flown on a magic broom and it took several deep breaths before noticing Harry looking at her with a raised eyebrow and an expression that was both one of puzzlement and amusement. The girl noticed that Harry was staring at the front part of her skirt…

And she suddenly realised why she was tingling with excitement and why her head was not the only part of her that was wet…

 **A/N:**

 **Another chapter for you to read and review – I hope you like it enough. If I did not reply to your reviews for the last chapter for this story, please say so in the view and I will deal with you first.**

 **No bonus prizes for guessing what happened at the end**

 **Regards**

 **Pixel and Stephanie Forever**


	7. Nyssa Betwitches

**Nyssa Betwitches**

Nyssa sat in her room facing a terrible problem…

She fancied Harry and she fancied him somewhat bad.

Normally, this was not a problem but there was the fact she was both underaged and her crush was also older then she was and her employer. The girl had been mightily embarrassed when she realised why the front of her knickers and skirt was wet after the ride of Harry's broom.

"Oh bugger" she muttered as she felt something inside her twist at that sentence. She accepted that, at the age of fifteen, she had had her first orgasm from a delightful sexual experience and not the one that had happened from her rape.

"DINNER!" Harry's voice drifted through her door. He'd got home early after hitching a lift on the Express and was dropped off on the approach to Knapford station – letting himself into the empty house and deciding to cook dinner himself for a change. Nyssa had come home from school to find Harry spinning around the room to ' _Princes of the Universe_ ' by Queen on an old and slightly battered radio – air guitaring with one foot on the counter with the help of a large wooden spoon. The girl decided that saving the world from a terrible danger allowed you to be a somewhat off key singer, although she knew he could sing perfectly as he'd sung the national anthem a few times.

"Coming!" she called back. Nyssa cleared her mind using a few ways that Harry had taught her, stood and put her book on the bedside table before heading out of her room and going downstairs. She decided to keep her thoughts to herself before Susan and Hermione came to visit that afternoon to bring them the latest news.

"What was your work like today?" asked Harry as they sat down to eat.

"We had to write all about the history of the country" Nyssa replied as she helped herself to roast chicken.

"I guess your reports were nothing short of ' _magical_ ', eh?" Harry smirked.

"Well, yeah…" Nyssa rolled her eyes. "That library at Grimmauld Place was huge – being allowed in there with you made me feel at home and not think about my rape or what my father did to me"

" _Come, and take choice of all my library, And so beguile thy sorrow_ " Harry said. At Nyssa's look of confusion and awe, he added "Hermione got me the complete collection of Shakespeare's works for my last birthday. That quote struck a sort of nerve inside me… I don't know why, but it did and its stuck with me ever since"

"Maybe it is because you like reading books and stuff" Nyssa shrugged.

"Maybe… I'm no Ravenclaw, but I find books take us to worlds and places we can't otherwise visit. Kind of brings a sense of order and balance"

"Are you drunk?"

"Merely philosophical" Harry smiled. "Its quiz night tonight at the social – you coming?"

"Not old enough to stay that late in the pub" the girl replied.

"Oh, Tom will look the other way. Besides, it would be good to have a girl on the team for a change" and Nyssa frowned as a dark look briefly passed over the face of her crush and employer.

"Is something wrong?" she asked.

"Why do you ask?"

"I saw the look on your face when you mentioned that guy"

"I knew a Tom when I was a kid at Hogwarts" Harry pushed his plate a little bit away from him and leaned back in his chair. "He owned the Leaky Cauldron and, though he wasn't a Death Eater, I always suspected him of being at least sympathetic to their causes. After the war, we discovered that he was somewhat involved in the Pureblood cause and by how much… During Voldemort's time as a spirit, Tom had been keeping track of all of the Muggle Borns that had entered the magical world. When Voldemort returned and war raged over the country, the bastard handed him each and every name. It was only after we won that it was discovered and the question of what to do came about…"

"What happened?" Nyssa asked. Harry looked at the table before sighing and looking at his ward.

"Me and some of the Hogwarts survivors went to the bar and kidnapped him. After we questioned him for two days solid, and we could get nothing else useful from him, myself and Hannah Abbott took him to the countryside near York and executed him"

"Oh"

"I know you probably think I am evil, but it had to be done quickly and quietly. The official story is that he retired and went away to live in seclusion"

"Why not Hermione or Susan…? Why Hannah?"

"Because Hannah was his sole remaining relative and I felt that this was something she had the right to decide upon" and Harry started finishing his meal. Nyssa watched him closely for several seconds – she had not been through the whole magic war, naturally, but she could see the deep levels of hurt, anger, fear, shame… The war still went on for Harry and the girl wondered if it would ever end.

"Alright" she said.

"Huh?"

"I'll go with you to the quiz night" Nyssa said. Harry looked at her for a moment before nodding in agreement and finishing his meal. After a second portion, he left the table and told Nyssa that he needed to be left alone for an hour – not because of anything they had discussed, but merely that he needed to do some powerful magic in the one room where Nyssa was strictly forbidden from entering. The teenager thought nothing of it as, from what Harry had taught her of magic, there were a lot of spells, charms and potions that demanded heavy amounts of magic that would kill somebody like her if not, at least, seriously injure her. After doing the washing up and sorting out the kitchen, Nyssa went to her room and went through a number of outfits she could wear before deciding on a crushed red velvet skirt, a grey blouse and short black boots that Harry said had been made from dragon skin. He had got her them as one of her many gifts at Christmas and she had taken to wearing them at school as they had charms to make them comfortable all day and warm and dry in poor conditions.

#

Harry was lucky that Nyssa had bought the excuse of powerful magic being cast to leave him alone for an hour. What he was actually doing was not exactly meditation but trying to clear his mind of what he remembered. Even now, years after the war, the only people that knew the true story of what happened during and after the war. The Order of the Phoenix spread the official version, naturally, but only Harry and what he called his command staff had the details of the aftermath where they went round and put down those that had supported Voldemort to the extreme – sparing only one parent and the children where possible. He should apologise to Nyssa as he was sure that he had been rude and snappish to her when she had asked her questions. If it had still been around, he was sure that the girl would have given the sorting hat a run for its money trying to put the girl into one of the four great houses at Hogwarts – however, the original hat was destroyed after it had attempted to arm wrestle the giant squid… Forgetting it had no arms.

#

The quiz night at the Railway Social went well, even if Harry did have to lie a little about Nyssa's age to get her in past the club secretary who, Harry thought, was a bit of a worst bastard than Voldemort. He'd introduced her to some of his work mates from the time he had been on the works crews, to his fellow Firemen – the pair of women in the roster seemed to like being called Firemen – and to his regular Driver, David. Harry had originally thought about getting Nyssa a soft drink, but decided that a small white wine with lemonade wouldn't be too bad. He began to regret this decision when, after three glasses of that mix, two pints of strong lager and a packet of crisps, the under aged teen got up on the stage with the Fat Controller and dueted with him on ' _I Love Rock And Roll_ ' by Joan Jett & the Blackhearts on the karaoke machine.

"Didn't know the old man could sing so well" said one of the Firemen.

"You don't think Fat Controller sits in his office all day filling out paper work, do you?" Harry replied. He looked at the clock on the wall behind the bar, finished his pint and went to the Gents. When he came back, he found Nyssa and told her it was time to go. Once they were seated in the car, he activated the charms that made him look sober and driving normally before sitting back to enjoy the ride home.

"That was a great night out" Nyssa murmured gently to Harry.

"Somebody is going to have a headache in the morning" Harry chuckled.

"Do you have magic potions for that?" Nyssa rummaged through the small purse she held.

"Yeah… I've got some in the pantry you can have tomorrow"

"Ah" the girl withdrew her hand and showed Harry that she'd picked up his house key. "You dropped this before you went to the toilet"

"Did I?" Harry accepted it. A few minutes later, and the pair stood in the middle of the living room. "So, anything else you want to do tonight?" he asked, "Or do you want to get straight to bed?"

"Well there was the one thing that I wanted to do tonight, but I never had the chance" Nyssa looked down at the floor and spoke quietly.

"What?" asked a curious Harry.

"This" and she brought her head back up, grabbed Harry's and smashed her lips into his. She snogged him for a good thirty seconds before pulling away with a bright blush to her cheeks. There was silence, apart from the ticking of the grandfather clock and the one over the mantelpiece, and Harry blinked for several seconds before he grabbed Nyssa, drew her close and returned the passion. After a few moments, he let her go and took a step back – taking in her flushed and glowing look.

"Erm… I don't know what came over me" he said.

"Its… Its okay" Nyssa replied in a whisper. "I really wanted that"

"I think I did as well – just been so long for me" Harry sighed. "Only done it once or twice, so I might be a little rusty"

"Well maybe I can oil the rusty bits" Nyssa fluttered her eyelids at Harry who smiled slightly.

"Are you sure you really want to do this – it is going to change a lot of things between us"

"I know, and I am a little scared, but I want this really badly… I want to be yours forever and a day" and the two of them came together for another kiss with hands running up and down their bodies.

"Let's go somewhere more comfortable" Harry said and gently lead her by the hand to his bedroom. He let her set the pace and soon they lay naked on his bed – Nyssa perched on top of him. "Are you sure you really, really, really want to do this?" he asked her.

"Yes"

"Only I thought your bible had something very certain about having sex before marriage"

"Mmm, but I think I am owed a few favours" she giggled before guiding Harry to the wet folds of her inner core. Looking deep into her eyes, Harry thrust upwards and put himself deep into Nyssa who gasped at sudden feeling of fullness – it was a much better feeling then the rape she had endured. Harry gave her a few moments to get used to his size before starting to move in and out of her – eliciting a few gasps and whimpers of delight. He was partly glad to see her enjoying it as he'd not been kidding when he said that he had only had sex a few times. Once was with Ginny just after the war's end but he'd done it once with Hermione when it was just the pair of them in the tent after Ron had stormed out on them in a fit of jealousy caused by the locket.

"You like that?" he asked huskily.

"Yes… Faster, Harry, oh dear Lord… FASTER!"

"Whatever you want" Harry allowed himself to fall fully under Nyssa's spell and moved in and out of her at a higher speed and the teenager squealed with pleasure as he flipped the pair of them over so he had gravity on his side as he pounded into her with somewhat of an abandon. A little voice in the back of his head argued the point that Nyssa was underaged so their activities were very much against the law. He ignored the voice as he used one hand to massage and kneed Nyssa's left breast and then the right – pulling her nipples as he did so. After what seemed like hours, but was only minutes, Harry felt a building pressure deep inside him. "Nyssa, I'm going to cum"

"Me too" she moaned. "In me"

"Are you sure?" he asked.

"Just gimmie a potion – I NEED YOU IN ME!" and she wrapped her legs around Harry's back and drew them in which put Harry over the edge and he exploded his seed deep into her womb. Nyssa orgasmed a few seconds later with an almighty scream as her walls squeezed every last drop out of him. They lay together for several minutes before Harry softened and he slipped out of Nyssa, rolled onto his side and flicked his fingers in a small summoning spell to draw the covers over the sweaty, panting but well sated couple.

#

The following morning, Harry was up and downstairs in the kitchen making breakfast when the floo flared up and Susan's head appeared in the flames.

"Morning, Harry"

"Hey, Sue"

"We've got a problem… Some of the old families have brought a suit against you for putting them into financial ruin"

"When does it take place?" Harry asked as he put a pile of bacon onto a plate.

"This afternoon at half past one"

"Morning, lover boy…" Nyssa limped as she walked in wearing nothing but her knickers from the night before and Harry's shirt.

"Erm" Susan's eyes bulged out in surprise, "Did I interrupt anything?"

"Only breakfast" the girl replied, "Though I was hoping to do something on a full stomach" and she sat at the table and gave off an air of a girl who had been utterly shagged to satisfaction.

"How… How old are you again?" asked Susan.

"Fifteen, but I don't think that is an issue now" and she gave Susan a shit eating grin and turned to her breakfast.

"Sue?"

"Yeah?"

"What are we looking at here?" Harry asked.

"At least seven families have jointly got this case against you – how, we don't yet know" the former Hufflepuff said. "There is an arrest and detention order out on you, but most of the Aurors are refusing to do anything"

"And the rest?" Harry enquired with a raised eyebrow.

"All met with terrible accidents and are in the hospital" she replied with a straight face.

"Alright" Harry ate some sausage and sighed. "Get hold of Hermione and the rest of the old guard together – see what they can manage to work out. We'll meet you at Grimmauld in an hour"

"Right" Susan was about to end the floo call when she suddenly said "Don't talk with your mouth full"

"You should have told me that this morning" Nyssa fired a broadside and sank HMS Susan Bones with epic precision.

"I was right about one thing" Harry chuckled as Susan's face vanished from the fireplace.

"What?"

"Last night is going to make things a hell of a lot more interesting"

 **A/N:**

 **Short, sweet and the result of me suffering badly from writer's block. Still, at least people get what they have wanted for a few chapters now…!**

 **Regards**

 **Pixel and Stephanie Forever**


	8. Harry Leaves Behind The Magical World

**Harry Leaves Behind The Magical World**

Susan Bones had an issue to solve, but she really didn't want to at all. From what she could gather from her Floo call to Harry earlier, he had had sex with the girl that was staying with him. However, not only was she the girl that did Harry's housekeeping and did his meals and such, she was under the age of consent which meant Susan had an issue to resolve. Normally in cases such as these, Susan would go with an Auror and arrest the person - however her internal voice was saying that Harry deserved to be loved by someone who loved him and not because he was the boy who lived. Her Aunt Amelia had always said that it was unwise to follow your heart in cases of law and order.

"You look like somebody with a terrible dilemma" said a voice. She looked up to see her wife approaching with two cups of tea in her hand.

"Thanks" Susan took one of the cups and sipped the scalding and soothing brew. "I told Harry about the sudden hearing for this afternoon, but in doing so found him after raping a girl"

"Harry?" Hannah exclaimed in shock, "I don't believe it"

"Its not what you think, Han, but merely a legal term because he had sex with an underaged girl"

"And now your head of the DMLE and have to arrest him"

"Yet if there is anyone that deserves it, it's him"

"Hence your problem... Perhaps they were playing a prank on you" she suggested.

"Oh, I am fairly sure they were not... Nyssa was walking like we did when we gave each other our virginities"

"Ah..."

"I am an officer of the law, Hannah, and the one thing that Aunt Amelia taught me was that your heart should never rule. I will bring him in, but I fear it will ruin our friendship forever"

#

Whilst this was being discussed, Harry was getting ready for the surprise trial and pulling out his finest robes. Although he could have turned up in standard robes, he pulled out his rarely worn Head of House set and then spent a couple of minutes attaching all of his medals.

"I knew you had a lot, but never quite imagined that many" Nyssa said from the doorway.

"I paid enough for them" Harry said bitterly. The teen knew Harry did not mean any kind of financial payment.

"So what are they?"

"Hmm...? Oh, lets see" It had been so long since he had pinned all of them to his robes that he had to think hard. "Order of Merlin 1st Class for extraordinary achievement, the Queen gave me the Companion of the Bath for defeating Voldemort, Goblin Honour, Defence Medal, Voldemort War campaign medal, Battle of Hogwarts Survival medal, Auror Qualification, Good Service Medal, General Service medal, Legion d' Honour, Order of the Emerald Guard, Victoria Cross, Defence Medal, Expert Marksman, Palm Leaf, The Star Cross and the Alex Goodwin Bravery Award"

"All I have is a swimming certificate and a medal for my Latin" Nyssa said.

"Well lets see what we can find for you" Harry joked. "Do you renounce Satan and all his flying Monkeys?"

"Thats not going to work"

"True, so we'll see what we can do for you at the Ministry later on. Now i know i said this before, but your arrival at the place is going to cause trouble... You may even be attacked"

"You'll defend me"

"I am a powerful Wizard, can take on multiple opponents, but I am only one wizard. Not everybody at the Ministry will be in a mind to help you"

"Susan and Hermione will be there, so they can help"

"I hope so" Harry replied quietly. "Hermione will help me without question, but Susan is constrained by law. I know she feels there are more important things then following the law to the letter, but there is only so much she can do"

"Oh... So about this trial" Nyssa said, "Will you see your lawyer first?"

"Voldemort killed most of them when he was in power, and those that survived will never defend me... Except, perhaps, the two that are my friends"

"Oh" Nyssa was quiet and then noticed a purple cushioned boxed that was partly open. Inside was an oak constructed wand with 'LL' on a small card under it. "Who does this belong to?" she asked him.

"Hmm?" Harry looked up where he was finishing his medals. "Oh, that wand belonged to a very good friend of mine who was badly injured during the fight at Hogwarts. She gave up her life in order to protect dozens of younger children when she could have retreated and got help. When they found her afterwards, she'd bled to death whilst strangling a Death Eater"

"I'm sorry" Nyssa whispered. She was beginning to realize how badly this magic war had really been and what it had cost Harry and his friends.

"She died doing what she wanted" Harry sighed and Nyssa could see he was reliving the battle in his mind before brushing the creases out of his cloak. "Damned war took a hell of a lot out of me, Nys, then I was expected to go on and solve the rest of the world's damned bloody problems – and _this_ is what I get as a reward? People suing me for killing people who were a danger to life and freedom?"

"Can't you just go and kill them?" Nyssa asked.

"The thought had occurred" Harry sighed and stood to put his cloak on before shaking in it slightly so it fit better. "Listen, apart from anything the Purebloods might try, Susan might have to do something she finds unpleasant. I want you to promise to not interfere with her in any way" he looked grim.

"What's wrong?"

"Last night"

"So?"

"You are under the age of consent" Harry reminded her.

"Tell that to the ones that raped me" Nyssa said bitterly. "Look, I promise not to interfere with what happens until I have to"

"Alright" Harry sighed. He wished that he could just be left alone in peace, marry Nyssa and be allowed to grow old together but he knew that the universe had a cruel way with his life. They both finished getting ready and went downstairs and into the garden before taking hold of a Portkey and transporting away.

# # # # #

People in the Ministry gave Harry and Nyssa a wide berth as they strode through the corridors of the complex. The pair found the meeting room they were going to get together in and walked inside.

"So" Harry began, "Who wants to go first?"

"They have good claims to suing you" Hermione said from her seat – her table covered in books and parchment.

"I thought I was immune from being sued by legal declarations and the right of conquest"

"Seems Shaklebolt overlooked an old law that was never repealed" Susan sighed. "According to what we found out from our research, every witch and wizard has the right to petition the courts in order to face somebody they feel has ruined them through killing or theft"

"Even if they and their families tried to kill innocent people?" Nyssa asked as she took a seat.

"We need to know how they got hold of this information" Harry remained standing with one hand on the sword of Godric Gryffindor.

"No need" a cultured voice said. They all turned to look at the doorway and Andromeda Tonks shot daggers at Harry and the others. "I told them everything they needed and what they had to do – after what you did to my family, it was a _pleasure_ "

"You know what happened to your daughter and Remus – I never forced them to come" Harry said.

"Not following the great and powerful Harry Potter on some damned fool ideological quest?" Andromeda laughed. "I just stopped by to tell you to be ready to lose, Potter, ready to lose your riches and your heirlooms and everything you hold dear" and she walked off.

"She's changed" Hermione said sadly.

"We all did" Harry replied. "Okay, what are we looking at here?" he asked.

"Whatever she thinks, she can not take family possessions away from you" Daphne Greengrass spoke for the first time. She'd kept out of the civil war for the most part, joining the defenders at the Battle of Hogwarts and then making a name for herself as a member of the legal team prosecuting Death Eaters and their supporters. "However, she can force you to sell everything to pay out"

"Am I the only one being targeted?"

"As far as we can tell, yes" Daphne said to him. "We suspect that it is either because you are a higher profile person or because you were the supposed hero and leader of the light side"

"I don't think it is about the money really" Hermione said. "I'd bet anything you'd like this is the last chance for Death Eaters to get revenge on Harry"

"Madam Director!" an Auror Trainee came skidding into the meeting room.

"What is it?"

"The hearing is over"

" _Over?_ " Susan spoke quietly and icily. "When did it _start_?"

"I have no idea, Ma'am…" the young woman was cut off by way of Harry pushing past her with a drawn wand in one hand and the sword of Gryffindor in the other. "Ma'am, would now be a good time to take some leave?"

#

"I hereby award the petitioners the total sum of seven and a half million Galleons to be paid no later than next week" the Judge said.

"Like fuck" Harry said as he blasted the doors clean off their hinges. Aurors moved towards him but suddenly found themselves staring at Harry's furious gaze. Wisps of pure magic crackled from him. "I will never give the scumbags that stayed free _any_ of my family's money… Why should I pay for them to live a life of comfort when they hurt people?"

"If you do not, we shall be forced to arrest you for contempt" the Judge replied.

"You can try" Harry said before putting the sword away and then detaching it from his scabbard clip. Placing it on a table, he then set slowly and methodically about taking off most of his medals and placing them alongside the weapon.

"What are you doing?" asked a member of the public.

"I came here to talk, to argue points of law… I find out some corrupt persons have already started and ended a trial – a trial that should never have happened"

"It should happen – you cost me my daughter"

"AND WHAT DO YOU THINK IT COST ME AND COUNTLESS OTHERS?" Harry's wand tip began glowing faintly with light. "You still have most of your family alive, I have nothing but myself… The very last of the Potter family. I can see that whatever darkness runs through the Black family is taking hold of you" he sighed as he sensed Nyssa walk up to him slowly. "This is just a personal vendetta against me, Andromeda" he finished taking off the last of his medals.

"Why are you taking the medals off?" asked another member of the public.

"They were awarded to me in gratitude for what I did to save people's lives… Because it was expected of me… Because of a stupid prophecy that cost me my parents and my childhood. If such sacrifice is rewarded by persecution of myself and those few that held the light, I would rather not have such baubles". Harry stared around the room – taking in the gaze of every man, woman and child in the court. "Most of you may never see me again – those that are lucky enough to be my few remaining friends will always have a home with me. Until I can walk magical Britain's streets without fear of prosecution and persecution, I want no part of this" and he stormed away leaving Nyssa beginning to get furious.

"You idiots… All Harry has done is fight every day of his life to keep himself safe and, after starting Hogwarts, you all safe too. I might not have grown up knowing about magic, but Harry told me the two dark wars put people into place that believed in truth and justice and kindness… And _this_ is what you do?" she turned round to face the Judges. "You never even had the dignity and honour to even tell anybody that the trial had started? Seeing as how there was about fifteen seconds from start to finish, I'd say there was some dodgy dealing going on here"

"You are just a muggle and don't know our ways" somebody said.

"A muggle that was raped, tortured and beaten by your kind. Just because you have magic, does not automatically mean that you are better. You see this sword?" Nyssa pulled Gryffindor's sword out of the scabbard slightly before slotting it back into place, "This sword can only be held those that have courage, dignity and honour – clearly it can tell a mere muggle like myself has those three qualities in greater amounts then most people here in this room. After the war, you all thanked yourselves, patted each other on the back and then you all started to betray Harry and the trust he placed in you to make things right" she looked down and sighed. "Your hero may have saved the world" she looked up to give the lead Judge a piercing stare "But the world destroyed its hero" and only her footsteps were heard as she left the court to find Harry. Susan Bones had listened to every word that Nyssa had said and made a decision – to hell with what the rules said… If Harry wanted Nyssa, she would never stand in his way.

"I am Susan Bones" she said. "I am the niece of Amelia Bones. I swear on my life, on my soul, my magic and my honour that I will not stop until I find those that did this to our greatest hero and sent him from our world for, perhaps, good this time. Nyssa may be a muggle, but she has spoke far more truth compared to any other here. For some, the war is over, but for Harry it will never be so. He did not just witness what Voldemort did, he _SAW_ it happen through their mental link – he witnessed those horrors and we never gave him the help he needed. I swear and pledge to all those here today, that my office will _always_ support Harry James Potter above all else"

 **A/N:**

 **A little late in coming, but there it is! I am going to restart work on some fics that really need updating including my Doctor Who story and my other HP fics**

 **As always, reviews please**

 **Regards,**

 **Pixel**


	9. Harry's Working Day

**Harry's Working Day**

"Why can't they simply leave me alone?" asked Harry as he read the morning's paper. It had been a week since his sham 'trial' and the papers basically called for a team of Aurors to find Harry and bring him back to the Wizarding population by force if needs be.

"Maybe they are frightened" suggested Nyssa as she looked in the mirror in the hallway to make sure her uniform was in place. After that night between them, they'd been keeping to their own rooms – mainly because Harry explained his magic was going occasionally haywire and she'd be in a bit of danger. The girl had noticed objects flying around the living room often over the last few days, and Harry had explained that it was a way of burning off the excess magic that had built up in him through immense anger.

"Of what? Of me…?" Harry snorted as he picked up his car keys. "This is one of the reasons why I left and came here, Nys. Okay, there is a very small magical community on the island, you and a few others know about my abilities and that's how I like it. It is calm, quiet and peaceful – I like working long hours on the footplate"

"But you miss some stuff, right?" Nyssa asked as she stepped outside and walked to the car.

"I miss Hogwarts, I miss some of my friends, I miss the Leaky Cauldron, the Three Broomsticks… I miss a lot of it, Nys, but what's the point in fighting for it if I can't enjoy it?" Harry tapped the door with his wand which made it lock before heading out to the car. They both got into the two seater Spitfire and were soon going down the roads to get Nyssa to school.

"Will you ever go back?" asked the girl.

"I don't know" he replied. "I suppose I will in the future, but I don't think so for now. There is too much bad blood between the ones that actually battle against Voldemort and his lot and those that either declared themselves neutral or simply ran away and hid. According to the Auror Register, we had just under two hundred Aurors and Hit Wizards – only a handful of those died as the rest either defected to Voldemort or ran away and hid – the majority did that. After the war, they simply came back to work and thought they could get away with it" Harry shook his head as he turned into the town.

"Hermione didn't" Nyssa said. "And Susan didn't have a choice in the matter"

"Hermione was with me… Susan, on the other hand, was a prisoner of war" Harry slowed as they neared the school. "Anyway, do you have your keys with you? Don't forget that I'm on a late finish, so you eat when you want and just save some for me"

"If I have lost them, I can always use the Portkey"

"That's for emergencies only"

"You coming home hungry? I'd say that's an emergency" Nyssa laugh. Harry smiled but was reminded, somewhat painfully, of Ron and the friendship that had been lost…

"Well I'll be a little later than what you might expect because the line between Hoo Junction and Crovan's Gate is closed for repairs, so we're going through Ballahoo which will take longer" Harry said.

"Are you stopping and passing through?" Nyssa asked as the car stopped and she undid her seatbelt.

"I think we might be stopping there in order to give people a slightly better service. Story going around the Mess that we might even run a modified express service through Ballahoo if the extra passengers prove its doable" Harry shrugged as Nyssa opened the car door, got out and then closed it behind her. "Listen, if anybody tries to grab you, use the Portkey, get home and ring the emergency number above the telephone"

"I will" Nyssa promised, said goodbye and walked through the gates to school. Harry watched her for a few moments, put the Spitfire into gear and drove off.

#

As he parked the car up, headed into the office and booked on, Harry couldn't help but feel that something was going to go very wrong that day. Still, he kept up a brave face as he checked the late notices board and case for anything he might need to know about, found his Driver and, in the most time honoured of traditions, put a brew on and sat back. Nearer the right time, Harry got up with Driver, a stout man named Lyle Barr, and walked out to their assigned engine – on this occasion it turned out to be Henry.

"Hello, Mr Fireman" the engine said to him.

"Hi, Henry… Hows tricks?"

"Better than previous" Henry replied. "I had some trouble with one of my cylinders, but they fixed it alright in the works"

"No trouble?"

"Nope"

"Well that's good" Barr said. "Now how do you feel to a nice run to Barrow? He asked.

"I would love it a lot… Its been a while since I went there" Henry chuckled as Harry and Barr checked him over.

"Well at least there is no snow around this time" Harry sniggered – Henry stared at him but said nothing.

"Fire's burning nicely, but put a little bit more on so we have a little bit more steam when we set off" Barr said to Harry. "If we can get a bit of an early arrival at Barrow, we can get a swift half in before we turn round"

"Right behind you, Driv" Harry said as he reached for the shovel.

#

"The bloody bobby will have gone to sleep" Barr muttered as he looked at the signal which still showed it set to danger. "I bet its Bill Smythe and the silly sod has gone to sleep in his box. I've said for ages that he should have been pensioned off, but the Old Man won't part with him for some reason" he shook his head and turned himself around so he could see the train behind Henry.

"Maybe he's fallen ill" suggested the engine.

"Mebbe" Barr grunted. "You keeping pressure up, Harry?"

"Aye, but I only need to put the occasional shovel in… There's more than enough in here already and you know the standing order for Henry"

"You do it just the once" Barr smiled and then shook his head. "Look, pop down to the SPT and ring up the bobby will you?"

"Sure" Harry climbed down from the cab if Henry and went down to the end of the platform, walked down the slope and to the signal and opened the box containing the telephone. It started ringing automatically and Harry got through to the signal box controlling the station at Knapford. "Hello, Signaller, this is the Fireman of One Alpha Niner One standing at your Kilo November One One signal"

" _Hello Fireman of One Alpha Niner One standing at my Kilo November One One signal_ " the cheerful tone of the signaller came through.

"I've a passenger train waiting to start and the signal hasn't been cleared for us. Is there any trouble at all?" Harry asked.

" _I've lost positive control of the signals and can't tell if they are clearing or not_ " came the reply. " _I've set everything to danger until the S &T chaps have finished. You _DO NOT _have my permission to pass Kilo November One One signal at danger_ "

"I understand you have problems with the signals and I do not have your permission to pass Kilo November One One signal at danger"

" _I'll get the station staff to pass on any messages. Knapford Box out_ " and the line went dead. Harry hung up the phone, closed the door of the cabinet and went back to the train.

"Signaller can't be sure he has positive control of the signals, so he has everything to danger until the S&T chaps have had a look at it" Harry said as he climbed back into the cab.

"Ah" Barr shrugged. "Well if that's the case, I'd rather be delayed then have an accident. You tend the boiler and I'll go and let the guard know so he can do an announcement or something"

"Sure, Driv… I'll blow the whistle if it clears before you get back"

"Fair do" and Barr climbed out of the cab walked down the train.

"Do you think we might stay here for hours?" asked Henry.

"Who knows" shrugged Harry. "The main thing, though, is that we don't we do not cause confusion or an accident"

"Indeed" Henry agreed quickly. "I still remember the time the signal broke and I had to go to Crewe to be fixed" he added. A minute later, one of the porters came up to the cab side and looked up.

"Got a message for you" he said. "The signal man thinks the points are set in the right position and the fault is in the detector circuits. He wants to know if you'll take your train forward and examine it"

"I'll have to ask the Driver when he gets back, but I can't see why not" Harry agreed. He said goodbye to the porter, stepped over to the whistle and gave it two short blasts and a single longer one.

"Signal hasn't cleared has it?" Barr asked as he came up into cab a few minutes later.

"No – but the signaller thinks the points are being set and its just the indicators that are playing up. He wants to know if you'd be happy to go forward and stop and examine" Harry said.

"Might as well" Barr grunted.

"I do hope we will not get into trouble from the Fat Controller for being late" Henry said.

"I'm sure he'll know its not your fault, old boy" Barr patted the regulator. "Go pass the message" he said to Harry.

"Right-oh" Harry got out the cab once more, went to the SPT and passed on the acceptance. He was soon back and, although Barr knew what was going to be said, listened to Harry giving him authority from the signaller to pass the signal at danger and to stop and examine the points up ahead.

"Here we go" Barr pulled both the regulator to start Henry off on his delayed journey and the whistle for five seconds to let the guard know they were passing a signal at danger. They crept slowly out the station and stayed at a little over walking pace before they came to the faulty points. Harry climbed down and went ahead to check them. The points were indeed broken, but a little repairing spell soon had it working like new again.

"They seem set to me" Harry said as he got back into the cab and got ready to start work. "I've let the box know what I saw and he said to go and obey all other signals and cautions"

"Well lets see if we can recover some of this lost time" Barr said.

"I'm game for a fast run if you are, Driver" Henry put in.

"What does the Fat Controller say about going too fast?"

"Not to get caught?" Henry chuckled.

"Aye… Come on then, old boy, lets get you off" and he opened the regulator once more and they set off to try and get back some of the time they had lost.

#

By the time they reached Barrow in Furness and the passengers had got off, they'd managed to make up nearly twenty minutes of the hour they had been delayed by leaving Knapford. After shunting the coaches, they took Henry to the turntable, turned him so he was facing the right direction and then into a siding where he could have a much deserved drink of water and topped up with coal.

"Not long to go until we have to set off" Harry said to his Driver.

"Let's hope the signals and points are all sorted" Barr said.

"They'll most likely flag us through" Henry said. Although he had greatly enjoyed his running at fast speeds, he did appreciate the time to rest his aching valves and pistons.

"Maybe" Barr grunted and looked at his pocket watch. "Say, lad" he added, looking at Harry, "You pop over the lines and to the station buffet – see what you can charm out of the lasses there"

"If they have some, you want some pie and mash?" Harry asked as he started climbing down the cab side to the trackbed below.

"If they have some" Barr agreed. Harry nodded and made his way carefully over the tracks, up the end of the platform and into the station buffet. He came back a few minutes later carrying two foam containers and two foam cups of tea. "That's champion, that is" Harry's Driver said. "I don't feel so good, but I reckon that some grub inside me will do wonders" and Harry simply nodded as he perched on his own seat in Henry's cab and ate his food and drank his tea. As he did so, he couldn't help but wonder why he felt something was wrong.

"Signals cleared for the shunt move" Harry said. Barr looked up, stood to place his half eaten meal on the seat and opened the regulator only a small fraction. Henry moved forwards very slowly and they moved out of the siding towards their coaches which were being pushed into position by a faceless diesel. Once coupled and the brakes tested, the pair quickly finished their food before they got ready for the return journey.

"I do hope this would be more slower" Henry said.

"I thought you liked to go fast" Harry asked.

"Yes, but I think that run to here made me leave half of myself behind" the engine replied. Harry chuckled as he built up the fire and double checked the gauges to make sure they had enough water.

"Alright, mate" the station master came up to them. "Just had a message from the local box that the road to the bridge has had a short circuit at Bravo Foxtrot Three Seven. There's a handsignaller there, but the bobby just wanted you to know about him before you got there because your lot don't have a booking on point here, do you?"

"No" Barr said simply.

"Well its not the done thing, but local management has cleared it for you to pop into the booking on point and have a quick look at the late notices. We'll send your owner a letter, but if you could let people know, it will get things going faster"

Righty-oh" Barr said. The station master nodded once and then went away to let the guard know as well. "It never rains but it pours" and Harry looked at his Driver with a sympathetic expression.

"Well we shouldn't lose too much time – maybe a minute or two at the most" and he returned to stoking the fire bigger and hotter. Henry had a full head of steam as they pulled out of the station and headed towards the bridge. As he took a moment's rest, Harry marvelled at the magic of having a job that was actually better than the Auror positions he had had over the years. Ever since his first sight of the Hogwarts Express, he'd fallen in love with steam engines and their old style trains. Once or twice at Hogwarts, Harry could be seen reading the latest edition of some railway magazine that Hermione's parents ordered for him and delivered by Hedwig. An hour and a half later and as they were coming up to Crovan's Gate, Harry heard both a thudding and a popping noise. Standing up and looking around, he said the Driver with his eyes closed on the floor of the cab. "Fuck!" he cursed.

"Is something wrong?" asked Henry.

"Yeah, the Driver is ill" Harry replied and closed the regulator and eased the brakes on – pulling the whistle repeatedly as he passed the signal box to let them alert the station they needed help. A porter and the station master came up to see what the matter was as the train wasn't supposed to stop there. Harry quickly relayed the situation and the porter ran down the train shouting for a doctor whilst the station master went to his office to send for an ambulance and to call for the station's first aid team to turn up. Once it was quiet for a few seconds, Harry risked using his wand to scan Barr and found he'd had a heart attack. Deciding to break the rules, and knowing that it worked, he hit him with a few low powered _Crucio_ s which got the heart beating. Harry kept doing CPR related stuff until trained medical people arrived and took him away.

"I hope he doesn't die" Henry said quietly. "I was really fond of him"

"Well he might survive, Henry, but never work again" Harry listened as the ambulance team took Barr away.

"Well I'd still like to see him again. I miss all my crews when they die"

"We all die, Henry" Harry said and gently gave him a pat on the cab side.

"That's why I sometimes wish I was never a steam engine – I outlive all of my friends" and Harry had no reply to Henry's comment. The station master came back up to him along with the guard and they discussed what to do next.

"I've had control on the phone" the station master went first, "Asking if you were fit to proceed"

"I'm a little shaken" Harry said, "But I'll be happy to fire the express home"

"But we need a Driver" pointed out the guard.

"James just came into the works for an examination, so they are sending his crew over as quickly as they can" the station master said. "His Driver will take over from Driver Barr and the Fireman will travel in the cab and watch you as far as Wellsworth – control have given orders that he's to take over there if he feels it's necessary. I know you say you feel fine now, but it might give you the shakes when you get going" and Harry, for a moment, considered telling both men about how much death he had seen in his life so far.

#

In the end, the station master was right and Harry had to be asked to be relieved by James's Fireman before they even reached Cronk. He didn't know why, but the fact of being so close to death had unsettled him greatly.

"Sorry about this" he'd said.

"Nay, lad" James's Fireman said to him kindly, "I've seen that look in many a person's eyes. I remember it from the last war" and he flipped his overall pocket flap open to show the unmistakable top of a Magic Awareness Card. "You sit in your seat and I'll get Henry home for you"

"That is very kind of you, Sir, to help my Fireman" Henry said as he sped through the country side. "I really don't think he is well at all"

"He isn't" said James's Driver. "Your Fireman has had a very nasty shock"

"I understand" Henry said. "I do hope you get over your shock soon, Mr Fireman" he whistled good naturedly.

"Thanks" Harry smiled weakly. Despite his insistence, nearly all of the engines called him 'Mr Fireman' or 'Sir' – the only two that didn't were Thomas and Edward. The Fat Controller also called him Harry, though this was interspersed with the occasional 'Mr Potter'.

#

As they pulled in, the Fat Controller was waiting for them at the platform end. Harry guessed that he was going to relay some news about Barr to him and Henry. Once the brakes had been set, he climbed up into the cab despite the suit he was wearing.

"I've spoken to the signing on point, and they've booked you off work, Harry" he said. "I've had word from the hospital about Lyle Barr" and he hesitated. "I'm sorry to say that he died shortly after reaching the hospital" and Henry gasped. It had been many years since one of his crew had actually died on duty, and it made the engine question its own possible immortality.

"Did he come round?" Harry gulped.

"No" the Fat Controller shook his head. "Although his heart was restarted, they think there was too much damage done"

"Have they said what it might be?" asked James's Driver.

"Sudden heart attack and a ruptured heart" the fat Controller said. "Look, why don't you get changed in my office and we'll get what you know down while it is still fresh in your mind?" he suggested to Harry.

"My stuff is at the sheds" he replied.

"Fair enough" the owner of the railway said to him. "Would you mind if I came back to the shed with you, Driver?"

"Not at all, Sir" James's Driver agreed readily. "Would you like to take the Driver's seat?"

"No… Not today" and they all understood his meaning. A few minutes later, after Percy had removed the coaches, Henry slowly and mournfully puffed away to the shed for coaling and watering before his evening train. He briefly stopped to let Harry and the Fat Controller get off and go into the signing on point and crew rooms. The forms and interview, with Harry's shift supervisor acting as a witness, took an hour before he was allowed to go home

# # # # #

"Did you do as I asked?"

"Yes, Sir. The Muggle felt ill and then ended up dying from a heart attack and a ruptured heart"

"And the poison is undetectable?"

"Yes, Sir"

# # # # #

Harry sat at home with a glass of Firewhiskey in his hands, listening to the ticking of the grandfather clock, and thinking very hard about the day. Barr's death brought back terrible nightmares of going through Hogwarts and recovering broken bodies in all manner of condition – the fact he had died after he'd brought him back again was just upsetting. The fact he died so quickly made him think that some sort of poison must have got into his system and made a point to finding out if chemicals could have got into the food at either their own mess or the buffet at Barrow. He was taking another sip when the terrible truth dawned on him…

Only one sort of poison could kill somebody and yet leave them able to be active until the very end.

"Susan Bones – Ministry of Magic" he shouted into the fireplace. Green flames rose and Harry bent down and put his head in.

" _Harry…. Whats the matter?_ " she asked.

"I think somebody I knew was killed by magical means" he said.

" _Not Nyssa, surely…?_ "

"She's fine, but doesn't know about this yet… No, my driver for today had a heart attack. I brought him round using the low powered and modified _Crucio_ but he died again after reaching the hospital from a ruptured heart"

" _How does this concern us_?" she asked, brushing a strand of red hair around her left ear.

"Because I think he was killed using Basilisk poison" Harry said and saw Susan give a start.

" _The only source that's readily available is from the one under Hogwarts in the Chamber of Secrets_ " she said. " _And only four of us know how to open it – Me, you, Hermione and Ron_ "

"Yeah… Although you might want to add Hannah to that list too"

" _Hannah_?"

"She's not the only one that's a cunning linguist, is she?"

" _HARRY!_ " Susan squeaked in embarrassment.

"Jokes aside, Su, it wasn't me. I doubt it was Hermione as she's in Japan at that conference and you were at work"

" _So that leaves only Ron Weasley_ "

"Aye… Now I'm just a private citizen, but back when I was in the Aurors, I'd have expected an entire squad to go and get him, dose him with truth serum and see what he said"

" _As it would be today_ " Susan nodded as she regained her composure. " _Look, I know you are a skilled wand user and the most talented fighter we have seen for a hundred years, but would you mind if I set a guard on your place for a few days?_ "

"Can you spare anybody?" he asked.

" _Yeah – I can spare me… Fancied coming to your place for a while now_ " Susan said and Harry shrugged as much as he could and nodded.

"Nyssa will be back from school in a minute, so let me get off and I'll leave you to get on with what you do" and, after a goodbye, Harry closed the connection. He dusted himself off and went to sit in his chair – going back to the ticking of the clock and his drink

Back to the endless nightmares…

 **A/N:**

 **Okay, a little bit heavy on the railway side, but I would like to point out that its Harry's job and, as a railway enthusiast, I took great pains to make it as accurate as possible regarding the telephone call to the signaller – its phrased in the correct manner according to the UK Network Rail rulebook. Also, the term 'bobby' is a very old term to call a signaller and is used even to this day!**

 **The term "SPT" mentioned stands for Signal Post Telephone which is attached to the post holding the signal and will connect anybody using it to the nearest signal box or operations centre should the box be closed.**

 **The signal Harry states, KN11, is, so far as I know, a fictional signal, but the headcode (the train's ID) is correct and the one I use a lot on my travels.**

 **The point about there being no signing on point for the NWR at Barrow is certainly true as the railway only runs to there and doesn't start any services in the morning from there – hence why Harry goes to the buffet for the tea and food. This will change as, like the station master at Barrow says, local management have made an informal agreement to let NWR crews use the crew mess and check the late notice case there.**

 **Harry's comment about snow is a call back to the events of Chapter 4.**

 **Lastly, I said before that its heavy on the railways, but we really needed to see, in my view, just what a typical day working on the railway for Harry is…**

 **As always, reviews please**

 **Regards,**

 **Pixel**


	10. Interlude

**Interlude**

"Doesn't mean he didn't get somebody else to help him, Susan" Harry fumed.

"I know, but we can hardly go around accusing people of stuff that isn't true – we both battled that" his friend reminded him.

"Bring him in on suspicion for something – we used to be able to do that if we weren't sure"

"And have half the Pureblood faction dust off their masks…?" Hannah raised an eyebrow. "Look, there has to be something that we can do that's legal"

"Only God knows" Hermione looked up from her paper work.

"I could ask him" suggested a cheeky Nyssa. They were all gathered around the large wooden kitchen table at Awdry Manor with parchment and paper all over – trying to think of a way an attacker could have poisoned Barr.

"It must have been done whilst he was in the mess" Harry said. "I can have a word with the Fat Controller and get the place empty for you to scan" he offered.

"Wouldn't he have covered up his tracks?" asked Nyssa.

"If I was there" Susan said, "I might well have done it – but if it was non magical people around him only, there might not have been any reason to cover his magical core usage"

"Is that likely?" asked Hermione.

"He's a highly skilled Auror, so it's very likely he did so"

"Assuming its him" Harry said sullenly. Susan gave him a sympathetic look before closing the file before her.

"It's bad enough that we've got a secret investigation going on and now the election is taking place shortly" and Harry, who had been in the middle of pouring a cup of tea, paused and turned to look at her.

" _Election_?"

"I thought you knew… After we took down Shacklebolt, the law says there has to be an election after a certain period of time – and that's now… We've been planning security detachments for all the polling locations"

"That has to be it" Harry said, putting the teapot down heavily. "I said I would never come back until the magical place was in a fit state… What if Ron is planning for me to come back and sort it out myself?"

"Sounds a bit too ambitious and forward thinking for Ron Weasley" Hannah said.

"We're all assuming he did this on his own" Nyssa said. "What if he had friends to help him?" she asked.

"Ginny would help him make the potions I bet, but who would actually put it in the guy's tea?" asked Hermione. "Can you see if any Auror was away from their duties for an unexplained period?"

"If it was an Auror" Susan said, "It was done off the books. The main thing is to get hold of the autopsy report and see what it says. They may have taken samples of blood, so I'll try and get hold of one of those both to know what amount it was and find out whose signature is present"

"I have a potions lab under here" Harry said, resuming the making of his tea, "So you can use that while you are here"

"Is there anything I can do to help?" asked Nyssa.

"I shouldn't think so" Hermione said.

"Is it because I'm not magical?" she replied.

"It isn't that" Harry told her, "But if something was to happen we would know to cast a shield or take care of it another way. Still, I'm sure that Susan could use some help brewing a few revealing potions"

"Harry?" the red-heads eyebrows rose in a curious manner.

"Since she became aware of magic, I've been teaching her some stuff out of my old textbooks. Now, I know she can't do the wand waving crap, but she can do everything else. I know I am biased, but I'd say she's on par for a third year on the practical side of potions"

"Hmm" Susan eyed Nyssa. "Well your school work comes first, but I suppose that I could do with a bit of help making the easier potions"

"You're going to need all the help you can get if we're keeping this of the books" Harry told Susan. "Look, the question becomes what we're going to do when we have all the evidence against him"

"Use it against him?" Nyssa shrugged her question.

"In our world, evidence is collected by the Aurors only…" Hermione sighed. "I suppose we could say that you had all the evidence collected and did it yourself as is your right as Head of the Potter Family"

"Pureblood Alliance would never hold with that" Susan shook her head. "The only way I can see is to do this ourselves and then present it in court – telling the Judge it was done by classified means"

"Would it be an open trial?" Hermione asked.

"I'm not entirely sure" Susan replied.

"In theory" Hannah added, "the rules that Harry put in place should mean that Ron faces a military trial. But to do that we need a Minister and not an Acting Minister. Its been hell on Earth trying to weed out everybody who is barred from standing. What we need is somebody who is going to be fair, unjudging of people apart from known facts… At least we're not getting an Umbridge"

"Yeah, about her" Harry said, "How did she manage to hang herself in a cell where there wasn't any window bars?"

"I'll never tell" came Hannah's cryptic reply.

"When is the election?" asked Nyssa, getting the subject back on track.

"Three weeks, but all the candidacy papers have to be in a week before that" Hannah told her.

Harry merely grinned into the mug as he drank the tea…

#

The week passed well with Megan Jones coming over to provide medical testimony and give an expert opinion on matters. Apart from the investigation, Hermione, Susan and Hannah enjoyed their little holiday with Nyssa being on a break and being able to take them to all the tourist hotspots as well as a few cab rides organised by Harry on the quiet. Nyssa was away when they left and she came back to find Harry in the library working on some paperwork which seemed to have him in some amusement as he used the quill to fill in certain parts.

"I have to go out for about half an hour" he said as he came into the kitchen.

"Well its only mince and gravy, so it will keep for a while" Nyssa replied. "Where are you going?" she asked. Harry merely grinned, kissed the top of her head grinned and went into the living room to use the Floo.

#

"Next" a bored sounding clerk intoned flatly. "Name?"

"Lord Potter" and the woman looked up sharply.

"Oh! Um, forgive my manners, Sir" she blushed.

"Never mind… I understand these are to be given to you" Harry said, handing over a small packet of parchment that he had spent all day going over and filling in. The witch took them from him, reading through them all and then stamped them. Putting them all back together and inside the envelope, she tapped it with her wand and it flew off to somewhere else.

"Is there anything else I can do for you?" she asked.

"Yes… I want a copy of the entire Wizarding Britain Legal Code as well as the Complete Auror Code of Conduct" Harry said.

"That might take some time"

"I'll wait" Harry settled into an overstuffed easy chair. "I'll wait"

 **A/N:**

 **Short, but sweet…**

 **Before people call me on it, its mentioned in previous chapters that Harry has been teaching Nyssa some parts of magic – including Portkey usage and potions.**

 **As for the two texts that Harry asks for at the end, I see it as Harry playing the system and making the wizarding version of a FOI request for two items the Ministry is obliged to give anybody who asks.**

 **As always, reviews please**

 **Regards,**

 **Pixel**


	11. Ron's Downfall – A Twist At The End

**Ron's Downfall – A Twist At The End**

"Have you got a day off tomorrow?" asked Jim Smith, Harry's new driver.

"Yeah… Me and Nyssa are planning to go to Brendam Docks" Harry replied as he shovelled coal into the firebox of Percy as they shunted trucks around Knapford yard.

"Not now… Just talking to the signaller and he's got advanced notice for special movements around the island"

"What for?"

"QE2"

"The liner? What is she doing coming here?" Harry paused to look back at the driver.

"Some kind of engine trouble from what I hear. She's going to limp into here and go for repairs at Lucky's yard. We're to take her passengers from the docks straight through to Barrow where the other lot have got a load of special trains on to get them to London"

"Where are we getting the coaches from?" asked Harry, turning back to his task.

"Search me, but the old man wants things to go as smoothly as possible" Smith said.

"I bet the Unions are going to love this" Harry said wryly as he put more coal in and then finished his work for the time being.

"Oh, aye…! Still, a bit of overtime plus a bonus isn't going to cause too many issues with them" Smith replied. "Have we got the signal to go?"

"No – want me to speak to the shuntie?"

"Give it another minute and then see him" the driver replied. "Now what the heck are we going to do about this?"

#

"I don't think that the driver likes me very much" said Percy as Harry set about cleaning his tools using a bit of steam from one of Percy's pipes.

"Oh?" Harry asked quietly as he worked.

"He called me a few very rude words and said I wasn't pulling my weight" the engine replied.

"He's grumpy at having to work tomorrow"

"Because he wanted to rest?"

"Yes, but so was I. I was looking forward to going to the docks, borrowing a boat and going fishing" Harry said.

"Thomas is good at fishing" Percy said with a laugh. "Do you think you might be on me tomorrow?"

"It depends on what my job is. I might end up on a shunting turn giving how little I've done in firing"

"Well I like it when you fire me" the green tank engine said. "You always take the time to talk to us and ask how we are. Some drivers and firemen are really unkind to us engines"

"That's just their way" Harry shrugged. "Anyway, lets get these trucks put back and then you can go off to the sheds for a rest"

"No he can't" Smith said as he climbed into the footplate. "We're to load up with coal and join a freight for the other railway as far as Barrow and then light engine down to Carnforth"

"Ah" said Harry, "There might be a problem for that"

"What?"

"I don't sign for that" Harry replied. "And, to come think of it, I have never even been that way on a learning turn"

"Its only a bit of firing, Harry"

"I know, but I really shouldn't do a route I have no idea of" the wizard told him.

"Look" Smith said, getting crosser and crosser, "I'm the driver and I am telling you to do the firing"

"If Harry doesn't know how to fire that bit of track, its not safe for him to try" Percy interjected.

"Be silent!" Smith told the engine.

"Look, I'm going to go and talk to the booking on clerk and see what can be done" Harry rested his tools against the side of the cab and climbed down.

#

"… the passengers should be ready" Harry caught the back end of a discussion as he walked into the signing on point and asked to speak to the shed master.

"He's busy" said the clerk, "Can I help?"

"I've been asked to fire for a journey I have never done before"

"What route?"

"Barrow to Carnforth – it's a special. We're to join a freight as far as Barrow and go light down"

"I see" Harry watched as the clerk picked up a clipboard and looked at the list of names. "You are the only one to spare" he said at last.

"Well in that case, I'm not firing. Not only is it wrong to ask me, but also dangerous and against the regs"

"You will"

"I'm not… You better get the chargehand and the shed master here because I'm sure as hell not going against the rules" Harry went to sit on one of the lino covered stools and folded his arms as if to wait. After a few minutes, they came out and spoke to Harry. "I'd be willing to do the overtime, but not when I have never done the route before - I sign as far as Barrow and not beyond" he told the pair.

"This is a bit of an emergency" the shed master told him. "We're borrowing some coaching stock from the West Coast Railway Company, and we need to get them to the docks before the QE2 gets here"

"If we wrote you out a note saying we accept your position and absolve you of any blame that may arise, would you take it?" asked the chargehand.

"No" Harry replied.

"You realise you could be suspended?"

"I do, but I'm not crewing an engine that I don't know the route its taking" Harry shrugged. "I'm owed three days off as it is – this will make it four. As it is, I have a driver who is disrespecting both me and the engine – poor Percy was in tears when I hopped down"

"Alright" the shed master said after a few moments of thinking. "If I get a firing inspector to ride on the footplate with you, will you be willing to fire the light engine down to Carnforth and then bring the stock back?"

"Yes" said Harry, "But not with Jim Smith… One of us is going to get hurt if we're crewing together"

"Right, I'll see if we can get the relief driver out to fire" the chargehand said.

"Sure… Look, I don't want to be a bother, but if something happened I would get it in the earhole over it" Harry shook his head and shrugged. "And I'm going to be damned late getting home"

"How long have you been working for this week?" the shed master peered at Harry in thought.

"In total? About seventy hours"

"Forget it… Finish here and we'll get you home on the semi fast – I'll get control to put in an SSO at Tidmouth sheds for you. I didn't realise that you were worked so hard"

"Yeah, a lot of guys have been calling in sick or something… Its happened since I reported Jack Bosworth for taking lumps of coal for his fireplace off Henry's tender" Harry said, yawning as he did so.

"Have they?" the shed master grew red in the face and looked sharply at the chargehand. "Get a list of all those that have called in sick and speak to them. You can leave off Sandy Wilson because he's in hospital with blood poisoning and Brook Newman is recovering after his latest round of Chemo"

"Joe Kellogg's wife was rushed to hospital after getting hit by a car" Harry said. "That's who I was covering for today"

"Well apart from them lot, get talking to the others and see where they stand – for real this time" the shed master turned to look back at Harry. "Get yourself sorted, I'll arrange for you to be sent back on the cushions and you can forget about coming in tomorrow… I'll take this up with the old man if I have to"

#

"I thought you were late" Nyssa said as Harry stepped tiredly into the house and almost collapsed into his favoured armchair. He explained what he could which left the girl shaking her head in astonishment of people taking advantage of Harry's good nature. "Well" she said as she curled into him and kissed him softly, "What do you say to a dinner and a drink?"

"I'd tell it to get into my belly" Harry muttered.

"If I put cream on my boobs, you can have me for afters"

"Nys, I'm too tired to do much then eat and sleep"

"Well after dinner, howabout you lie on your bed and I give you a back massage? I've been practicing it on one of those training dummies. Not saying anything will happen, but it will relax you enough to sleep and get the knots out of your back" the teen held him carefully. "It has to be better then one of those potions"

"From a mental point of view, I suppose so… Let me get out of this stuff and I'll be down to eat" Harry said.

"Why bother…? The food is in one of your magic cooking pots and the sofa is as much as good a place as the bed" Nyssa rose and took off her school blazer and rolled up the sleeves of her uniform shirt. Harry had just enough time before he was grabbed by the arm and tossed over to the sofa where Nyssa started taking off his shirt and loosening the belt on his trousers – within a minute and a half, the fifteen year old had Harry clad only in his boxers and laying face down on the sofa.

"Just the massage" Harry protested weakly.

"Oh" Nyssa grinned unseen as she reached into her pocket for a bottle of oil "Who knows what might happen…?" and started. She got to finishing his back when the teen realised he'd nodded off to sleep and she sighed and tidied up. With Harry entering the election for the post of Minister and his normal day job, he sometimes came home tired and worn out. It wasn't as if she appreciated what he was doing for her, she'd always be grateful for his saving her from her father, but she did wish they had a bit more time together.

#

"Last chance to back out" said Hermione.

"Mione, I have to do this for Nyssa and others who can not defend themselves"

"Openly calling for Ron's head on a plate…?"

"I said a platter, actually" Harry smiled sadly. "The evidence is all there in the report, the tests for poison are conclusive and then there is the final nail in the coffin… No, he has to be stopped"

"He'll have the backing of some Aurors, pretty much all his family and people who think of him as a war hero"

"War coward" Harry spat bitterly. He folded up his papers into his leather briefcase before leaning back into his chair and sighing deeply.

"Tea?" Nyssa asked. She came into the office at the Ministry that, as a member of the Wizengamot, Harry had been given. Because he'd been unable to find staff who would work for him, he'd co-opted Nyssa to do his errands, Hermione had taken the position of legal adviser and he'd spoken to Luna about doing the paperwork and filing – the argument there being she'd find juicy topics for the _Quibbler_. "How long do we have left?" she asked as she served them tea from a silver service the teen had found lying in a box in Harry's vault.

"Twenty minutes" Hermione sipped her tea.

"Can I come in?" Nyssa asked.

"No" Hermione shook her head.

"Why not?" Harry shrugged. "People here know already you work for me, are under my protection… Hell, Susan knows what we did with that inflatable coconut – they'll have more important things to do with their time. You will have to follow a couple of rules, Nys, but you should be alright with sitting in a session. Susan has fixed it so the Aurors in the chamber are loyal to her and won't take coin from anybody wanting to try anything. I'm going to have to talk a little about what happened to you, but there is nothing I can do about it"

"I figured that would be the case, so I don't blame you…" the teen replied.

"This is going to cause trouble" Hermione sipped her tea quickly.

"Since when has that ever stopped us?"

"We were younger and less wise" Hermione snorted at Harry's question. "I sometimes miss the old days"

"Teachers trying to kill you, cursed broomsticks, rats living in your dorm room… Anyway, if anybody asks you a question, answer it bluntly and be to the point – we are not here to play games"

"Whats going to happen?" Nyssa asked.

"Harry is going to present his case to the Wizengamot and call for the immediate trial of Ron Weasley and the stripping of his honours and awards" Hermione answered.

"So why not be in there already?"

"Because" Hermione sighed as Harry stood and put on his heavy cloak, sword and daggers, "Harry likes to make an entrance when he speaks"

#

"… so if there is no other business" the Chief Witch was about to add more when the doors to the chamber swung open heavily and Harry, Hermione and Nyssa walked in with a platoon of Aurors guards – Susan leading them.

"What is the meaning of this, Mr Potter?" a dumpy witch asked.

"My name is Lord Potter, Pansy, and don't you forget it… As for why I am here, you will find out soon enough. This chamber has not seen my appearance for some time but it does now for I come at a time when there is serious accusations and crimes to be dealt with" Harry gestured with his hand and a table rose from the centre – much to the surprise of most people.

"What do you speak of?" asked a much older wizard then most in the room.

"An accusation of cowardice, of murder, of helping to plan a rape and of poison… Oh, and attempting to hijack and more or less take over a line" Harry put his briefcase on the table and the Aurors formed up behind him as the Hermione and Nyssa sat down.

"I trust you have evidence?" asked the wizard.

"More evidence than what is normally seen here" Harry replied. "Of course, you would know all about that, Mr Malfoy" and a couple of people muttered at Harry's disrespect. "What I am here for is to discuss all the charges and ask for his awards and honours to be removed"

"Who?" asked Pansy Parkinson.

"Ron Weasley… I name him as a coward and murderer" Harry said flatly. "During the Death Eaters had taken over, myself, Hermione and him were hunting around for clues as to where the Horcruxes where. At one point, after reminding me my parents were dead, Ron left for a long period and stayed with his brother on the coast. After the fighting was all over, he lied to investigators and ended up with honours, money, an Order of the Merlin and a small title he did not deserve. I kept quiet because he was supposed to be my friend, but he was the cause of my going to live with muggles"

"We shall investigate this claim, however, you also said he was a murderer" said the wizard who had spoken before.

"I work for a muggle company, though I don't need to, and am told I am great at the job. A few weeks ago, the man I was working with suddenly died after eating a meal. I examined the remains and discovered a poison. I informed Madam Bones and she was able to carry out tests on the body and confirmed my findings. The poison is only able to be got by myself, Hermione, Susan and Ron Weasley – not even Goblins can find it and get it"

"What poison?"

"Basilisk" Harry tapped his briefcase with a single finger and files zipped out to each of the members. "I submit that Weasley got hold of some of the poison and used it to lace the food in an attempt to frame and discredit me. As for the other and most serious charge, when a person under my protection was raped, I thought I had picked up the magical signature of those involved, but examination of all the evidence suggested there was one more. At my request, this information was kept secret from every body – even the victim" Harry paused and looked over his left shoulder. "Put the wand down, Zabini, or I will put you down" and he was about to start talking again when he looked back at the offending person. "And the other one" he added. "To continue… If you look at the documents before you, you will notice witness statements from Aurors confirming Ron Weasley was missing from his place of duty on three separate occasions for nearly an hour each time. The first time this happened, his tracking charm indicates a visit to Hogwarts. Madam Bones has already confirmed that the Headmistress there did not know of his visit at any stage, and that the wards had been, for want of a better term, suspended in their ability to log him"

"I doubt Weasley was doing this on his own" said Pansy.

"I agree with you, strange as it may seem, but then again… _You_ were one of the people helping him" Harry folded his arms and perched on the edge of the table. "It took me a while to figure out how this all started, but then I found out Weasley had got a place on your protection detail whenever you attended these sessions. That in itself is not proof, but then the second and third traces put him at your home – in your bedroom, to be exact… It was easy enough to find out from your House Elves that he was a frequent visitor along with a number of the children of Death Eaters who are either dead or sitting in Azkaban. Members of the Wizengamot, I submit to you that Miss Parkinson was using money and sexual favours to convince Ron Weasley to help them in their plans to discredit me. Their reward to him would be some of my family's funds as well as Hermione" Harry turned to look back at Susan. "If you don't take his wand away, I'll take his hand off" and Susan glanced at an Auror who moved in and took both of Blaise Zabini's wands. "Lords and Ladies, I have much more evidence supplied to me by the DMLE and the Goblins – I move that we try the persons now"

"Send for Ron Weasley!" somebody shouted.

"No need" Harry smirked and gestured with his finger at the part of the room nearest Pansy. "Ronald Weasley, I name you an enemy of the Potter Family. I challenge you to a duel"

"I accept!" an invisibility cloak fluttered as it came off the redhead. "I shall enjoy killing you… Who is your second?" he demanded.

"Me" Nyssa rose from her seat and drew the sword of Gryffindor from its scabbard. "I am not a member of this group and neither am I even magical… What I am, though, is a friend of Harry Potter – I will stand by my friend"

"You are no match for a wizard" the elderly wizard said.

"Yeah…? Well it took three wizards to subdue a helpless muggle girl like me, so what does that show you? Now, are you going to get on with this or are we going to have to arm wrestle?" Nyssa swung the blade gently so that the blade rested on her shoulder.

"What are the terms of the duel?" asked Susan. As head of the DMLE, all duels fell under her perview.

"Until either one of us is knocked out" said Harry, "Or until he admits what he has done and surrenders"

"You do realise that, with your power level, you could kill him" Susan told him.

"Your objection is noted" Harry removed his great cloak and draped it over the chair. "Shall we dance, Mr Weasley?"

#

"What does that boy think he is doing?" demanded Molly Weasley. A new law, put into place after the Battle of Hogwarts, provided for members of the public to listen in to a number of debates. Molly had been listening to a debate about how they should put more limits on how they interacted with Muggles and the possibility of controlling them when Harry had interrupted the proceedings. She listened in rising anger as Harry laid out all of his evidence – her anger rising even more when he accused her youngest son of murder, rape, theft, line theft and much more. She shot to her feet when Harry's challenge to Ron was accepted and the pair began to duel. The woman heard every sound from the duel, heard how Harry stepped aside every spell fired at him by her son, heard Harry taunting Ron as he occasionally returned fire. She was going for the floo to stop Harry herself when she heard a sickening thud from the wireless set…

#

"Is that the best you can do, Ickle Ronniekins?" Harry laughed as he spun on his heel and out of the way of a badly aimed hex. "Where is the big bad Auror? Where is the hero of the Battle of Hogwarts? All I see is a pitiful fool and a wastrel…"

"Finish him" Nyssa said.

"Bitch!" Ron brought out a second wand and aimed it at Nyssa. "Avada Kedavra" and the sickly green spell flew towards her. Harry very calmly stepped in front of it and took the full force – dropping to the ground and didn't move.

"You bastard!" Nyssa held the sword tightly with both hands, and, with a mighty scream of rage, charged forward and slammed the sword straight through Ron's stomach.

"You… You killed me…" Ron whispered as he dropped to the floor. Aurors surrounded Nyssa and looked as if they would take her into custody until stopped by Susan. They were reminded that she was Harry's second and was obligated to help her principal.

"Check Weasley… Is he alive?" she ordered. A pair of Aurors bent and waved their wands in complicated patterns.

"Barely" one of them said.

"Take him to St Mungos and put him in the maximum security ward for treatment"

"Is Harry going to be alright?" sobbed Nyssa.

"Its happened to him twice before, so he should be alright after a while" Hermione said. "Susan, do you plan to charge her?"

"Like I just told my Aurors, she was acting in accordance to law… I will be arresting Ron for the attempted murder of Nyssa, mind you, and I will also be taken the rest of the scum too" the red haired witch said.

"That was bloody painful" came a mutter from the floor. Nyssa helped Harry to sit in a chair and he rubbed his joints and shivered slightly.

"Don't do that again…" the teen flung herself into Harry's embrace and sobbed into his robes. Everybody stood around or sat until she'd calmed down and Harry staggered back to his feet.

"I would do it every second of every day if it was to keep you safe, Nyssa" he hissed in pain and rubbed his left ribs gently. "Lets get me sorted out and then we'll go home" and Nyssa slipped one hand into one of Harry's before they walked slowly towards the door to the Wizengamot chamber. "Once I've been patched up, we might need to make a stop at Wizarding Legal Services"

"Why? What do they do?"

"They deal with stuff like contracts for companies" and a small smile paid out over his face. "And its also where you go to register a marriage" and he watched as Nyssa crumpled to the floor "Was it something I said?" he asked the group watching him.

 **A/N:**

 **I promised that Ron would come down, and he has had his comeuppance!**

 **Yes, that last few lines means EXACTLY what you think!**

 **As always, reviews please**

 **Regards,**

 **Pixel**


	12. Of Horrors and Philosophy…

**Of Horrors and Philosophy…**

"Are you ready yet?" asked Nyssa.

"In a few minutes" Harry replied. "I'm going over a few things with family magic – I'd show you what, but you'd get hurt"

"Okay" Nyssa said as she returned to the living room and watched the TV. What she didn't know was that, whilst shopping with Hermione, Susan and Hannah, Harry would be at Gringotts doing a few back handed deals that were sure to get the Purebloods going completely insane with fury. Whilst Harry would be taking all of the money, properties and lands the family had, it was the name he had in mind.

#

"My Lord" a Goblin bowed low in respect, "How can I help you?"

"I have business with your King – I would speak to him"

"He is not in his chambers, but I can take you to them"

"Then do so" Harry said with an air of impatience. "I do not like standing in the presence of traitors"

"My Lord, what do you mean?" asked the Goblin as he led Harry down a corridor to the main offices.

"Despite the peace between our two peoples, and the work I have done on your behalf, it is distasteful to find myself in the midst of people who did not fulfil their obligations under old and honourable terms"

"What do you think we could have done?" asked Ragnock as he heard the last part of the discussion. "The Dark Lord's forces were strong – there was nothing we could have done"

"You could have tried. Are you telling me that you were more concerned over money?" Harry stared at the Goblin with distaste.

"Are you sure you do not have Goblin blood in you?" Ragnock laughed as he waved Harry to a seat. The old argument was something of a running joke between the pair of them.

"Sure enough, you little midget… Anyway, got some paperwork I need sorting out" Harry pulled out a packet of folded parchment and tossed it on the table. "I want everything for one Galleon, one Sickle and one Knut taken out that vault and put into mine. I want you to pull as many Goblins as is needed off other jobs to get it all shifted over, then have them check the request to make sure it is all perfectly legal and watertight"

"What about the girl?" asked the leader of all Goblins.

"We'll sort that bit out later" Harry said. "Right now, she is shopping with some of the others for clothes for the wedding… That's going to cause a hell of a lot of trouble"

"Oh? And this isn't…?"

#

"Harry, do you think I should really marry you?" Nyssa asked as they sat under the stars in the garden at Awdry Manor.

"I think so, but its up to you… We both know its something we've wanted for a while, you just have to learn not to call yourself Mrs Potter in the normal world for a few more years to come"

"Am I going to be in danger without magic?" Nyssa snuggled up to him.

"Maybe, but you carry that Portkey with you, you have a few magical devices in case it doesn't work and you have that small pistol" Harry hugged her gently with one arm. He had debated about giving her a gun, but reasoned that any Purebloods that attacked her would be confused by the gun for enough time for Nyssa to get the hell away and get help.

"Mmm… Do I really have to go to that meeting tomorrow?"

"I'm afraid so, but it will be worth it to see the looks of horror on their faces" Harry smirked. "I told you that there are many prejudices against Muggles, Nyssa, and they will be expecting for us to play by their rules. By making them think that until the last possible moment, we make them utterly confused. If they try to stop us, then they go against a thousand years of law and tradition – so they've got to agree to it"

"But didn't you once say that they would still have to vote to allow me on the council?"

"You mean the Wizengamot, but yes… There must still be a vote to allow you to actually sit whenever you like – not just the full meetings"

"Can you make it happen?"

"Should do" Harry rubbed his chin in contemplation. "I control the voting for seven houses either by inheritance or by conquest, Susan and Hannah will vote my way, Hermione will do the same… Add in a couple of people that I went to school with, and we've more or less got a majority vote"

"Why will Hermione vote? I thought she was a Muggle Born witch" Nyssa ate a sandwich as she finished talking.

"After the end of the war, when awards were being handed out and honours given, Hermione was granted the right to have a House which was instated at the rank of Most Noble. Forget that for now, have you decided what you are going to wear for tomorrow?"

"I thought about wearing my school uniform with one of your old robes draped over the shoulders – kind of like a Judge does" Nyssa traced a finger lightly over Harry's knees. "I'm doing all right, aren't I? I'm not going too fast or skipping important things am I?" she asked hesitatingly.

"No" Harry smiled and spent the next few minutes gently kissing the teen and showing how much he loved her for herself and for how she brought him happiness – happiness that he so badly needed in his life. The kissing turned into snogging and then, finally, into a loving session of sex under the stars…

#

"ALL RISE!" an usher called out. "All those with business with the Wizengamot are called forward. Members must take their seats"

"So far so good" Nyssa muttered. She left Harry's side and walked around the long curved bench and then back up it until she reached a certain spot. Taking a deep breath, she pulled back the high backed chair and sat down in it. Almost at once, the near entirety of the bench started calling for her arrest and removal from the chambers.

"There will be no removal" said Harry loudly. "That seat is hers to sit in for as long as she wants"

"Will she be taking that seat often?" asked the new Chief Warlock, a small man named Charles Orrock.

"Yeah – its hers now" Harry shrugged. "I decided that I had one too many seats and so I sold it to her"

"How much for? And she's a Muggle" Orrock reminded him.

"How much for is none of your business, Chief Warlock. The Ministry has been notified of the changes for the seat of the Most Ancient and Most Noble House of Black. All of the titles, vaults and fealties owed to the Black family are now hers to do with as she pleases. As for your second point, I know she is a Muggle. The old laws, covered in dust as they are, make no allowance for disqualification no matter how many former members of this body tried to make it so. Not only is she a Muggle, but she is also my wife to be – if I want to give her a present early, then I shall bloody do so. Also, please treat Nyssa with the same respect as you would have me give yourselves"

"And if we do not?" asked a woman.

"Then I shall duel you and kill you"

"You think you could kill me?"

"I did the last bastard that pissed me off…" Harry fiddled with something on his hip and then flamboyantly brought up the Sword of Gryffindor to rest on his lap – putting both feet up on the bench desk at the same time. "Kingsley was never even a sweat to take down" and he played with the sword before turning sharply to stare at the woman. "I took down Voldemort four times before I finished him. I took out the remnants of his armies, I nearly singlehandedly destroyed the Dark Wolf rebellion, eliminated the Vampire Clans that stormed our lands… What have you done?" but there was only silence. "Chief Warlock, the papers are filed as required so they can be retrieved, but I suggest that we confirm the new Lady Black and get on with this stuff – I have to be at work in two hours"

#

The Press, being the Press, freaked out badly at Harry's "selling" of the Black Seat to Nyssa and demanded it be taken off the both of them and given to somebody worthy. In the end, although it was after a week of saying nothing, the Ministry released a counter statement which said what Harry had done was quite legal and that any attack on Nyssa would be dealt with swiftly and firmly. As for Nyssa herself, she was enjoying having nearly all the Purebloods having to bow to her and more or less follow her instructions. Seats had been moved around the Wizengamot chamber so that Harry, Nyssa, Susan, Hannah, Hermione and a few other close friends all sat together – to show off that they had a massive power block that would crush their enemies.

"I'm curious to think how this is possible" said Nyssa. She was sitting in Harry's rarely used office at the Ministry going over a case that she was sitting in judgement over.

"Mind control can work in many ways" Hermione said to her.

"I know that, Hermione, I've read some of Harry's old school texts, but they tell me that there should still be traces of magic…" Nyssa shook her head. "This is complicated" she said to the others.

"Its part of my world, Nys" Harry shrugged. "Mind you, I agree that it sounds odd. I can't understand how he knows he killed the family but has no knowledge of doing it… Yet his is the only magical trace there"

"Could he have wiped his own memory?" asked Nyssa.

"It's possible, but why would he?" asked Susan.

"So he could claim he never did it" Nyssa was beginning to suspect something.

"Well the investigating team shows they could not detect any spells apart from the ones used to torture and kill his family" Hannah looked at the notes before her.

"So, the next question is if we have the right person in custody" Hermione frowned. "There are a few spells to lock somebody into a form… I wonder if false memories were implanted and there is some poor bloke sat in the cells for a crime they never did"

"Well it wouldn't be the first time the Ministry has done that" Harry replied darkly.

"Get one of your magic doctors to do a test or something" Nyssa shrugged. "I don't know much about magical law, apart from what Harry has taught me, but surely everybody is entitled to a fair chance"

"They are now…" Susan stood up and left the office to find a Healer.

"I wish I had something easier to start with" Nyssa let her head droop. "I don't want to kill a person"

"Pushed through the veil is confusing… Some think you just get sent to another dimension" Hermione argued.

"Not helping"

"Sorry"

"All this legal stuff needs changing" Nyssa said. "I mean who sends people for a minor offence?"

"Its something I always tried to change" Harry got her into a one handed hug. "With us all voting as one block, we might be able to change things for the better. Anyway, do you still want to go out tonight after we finish here?"

"Yeah – can't wait to get the hell out of here" Nyssa sat up again and pulled some parchment towards her. Harry was left thinking that perhaps a quiet night in was more in order…

#

"… and your vote, lady Black?" asked the Chief Warlock.

"Sir, I am afraid that I refuse to vote" Nyssa sighed. "I can not say he is not guilty, yet I can't prove he is either. Whilst the evidence would suggest either possibility, its not clear which is more true. Therefore, Chief Warlock, I must abstain"

"So noted" he replied. "We face a problem… There are equal numbers of people who have voted one way or the other – only Lady Black's vote would turn it either way. Madam Bones of the DMLE has asked she hold Mr Thomas pending more investigations. In the absence of any other issues, I so order it. Take the prisoner to the cells"

"No" Harry said. "I will look after him and deliver him back here when he is wanted or needed. This man stood beside me in battle, he is my friend and I will not leave him undefended and alone"

"This is most unusual"

"What is unusual is the fact he was almost sent through the veil without that much questioning and without the knowledge of the DMLE head. Was this supposed great body of people going to carry out a secret execution?" Nyssa spoke up – confidence springing up from somewhere inside her.

"Lady Black, this man killed people"

"So has my husband to be, yet you don't seem to want to throw him in prison" the teen replied. "Now, we're going to take this bloke with us, we're going home and we're going to prove him innocent of all charges" she rose from her seat and looked over the witches and wizards before her. "If this is your supposed justice, then maybe Harry is right"

"About what?" asked the Chief Warlock.

"Maybe you weren't worth saving" and she walked away followed by Harry and the tall black man.

# # # # #

"What the fucking hell is going on, Dean?" Harry asked the moment they arrived at the Manor. "You better tell me now or I will end you"

"I honestly don't know" Dean replied as he sat in an armchair – completely confused and distraught. "One minute I was at home with Melly and the kids… Next thing I know I'm banged up in a cell with charges against me. They said I more or less confessed, but you know as well as I do how the truth potions can be ' _fixed_ '… Even if I am proved innocent, what the hell am I going to do? Melly and the kids are gone, the public are against me and I've been sacked from my job doing wizarding portraits"

"Alright, alright – we weren't friends just to throw it away like this. Tell me everything you remember" Harry sighed.

"I already have – there is a gap in my memory. The last thing I know is there was a sound like something hitting the door gently and then I'm facing Susan and her lot"

"You had the standard wards up?"

"Yeah – plus a few extras the Goblins gave me at a low price"

"Keyed to you?" Harry asked.

"Yeah – to me" Dean looked to Harry with tear filled eyes. "You won't let them do anything to Melly and the kids will you? I want to bury them myself"

"I'll see what I can sort out" Harry promised his friend. "Do you know if they took your wand?"

"I presume so… They've not said one way or the other, but then again I was being kept in detention and never got much news"

"Well I have got work in half an hour, so you'll have to stay here" he looked at the defeated man in front of him. "Can I trust you to behave right and not do anything stupid?"

"Yeah – I want to live so I can find out who did this to Melly and the kids" Dean sighed and drank heavily from the glass Nyssa pushed at him.

"For medicinal purposes" she said to Harry's raised eyebrow. "I've fixed a room up for him, and I have your bait box packed and ready"

"Always looking after me" Harry smiled.

"Somebody has to" Nyssa stood on tiptoes, kissed his forehead and then went into the kitchen to start dinner.

"She's a good lass by all accounts" Dean said.

"I'm lucky to have her" Harry shrugged. "Are you going to be alright here? I mean if you do something stupid, Nyssa will have to call the Healers in which will take time"

"I meant what I said… I want to find these bastards"

"Are you sorted for money?"

"Only what the DMLE gave me back from when they took me in. Not allowed back into Gringotts until this is all over"

"I'll get you your money – the Goblins will never cross me"

"Oh?"

"We have an agreement"

"Can I use your phone? I need to let Seamus know what the hell is going on"

"Its in the hallway" Harry gestured towards the hallway behind him. "I'll be back this afternoon and then we'll go out for a drink"

"I thought I was under house arrest" Dean frowned.

"You think anybody is going to say anything?" Harry laughed. "It took a squad of Aurors to take down just one Muggle… There isn't enough Aurors and Hit Wizards in the whole of christendom to stop me" he looked at the time. "I have to be going – help yourself to anything but the poisons and the sharp knives" and Harry picked up his bag and portkeyed away.

#

"You seem distracted, Harry" Thomas said as they puffed along the line with a train of coal wagons.

"I am" Harry replied as he took a rest from firing. "I've got a friend who is in a lot of trouble. The problem is that he doesn't know what happened that caused him to be in trouble"

"Oh" the engine was silent for a few moments. "Why doesn't he know? Did he have an accident? Last time one of us engines had a big accident, we had to send Henry to a place called Crewe on the Other Railway"

"He had an accident, Thomas, but he has lost part of his memory"

"Has he checked behind the fridge? Driver says he lost his keys and found them behind the fridge"

"Its not that simple"

"Is it a magic thing?"

"Yeah"

"Is it a magic fridge?" and Harry snorted.

"If only it was that easy" he said.

"You can take a rest now, Harry" said the Fat Controller. He was driving Thomas in order to keep his competence up on the railway and had picked Harry as his fireman so he could freely talk about magic,

"Thanks… This has been one hell of a week for me" he propped up his shovel and sat on his seat in Thomas's cab.

"So I've heard – you think he's innocent?"

"I wouldn't have stuck my neck out like this if I didn't" Harry shrugged as the Fat Controller pulled back on the regulator a little and slowed Thomas for the next stopping point. "I believe that he said he didn't do it, but the magical signature from his wand shows he cast the spells and only him and his family were inside the house at the time"

"Could whoever did it turn into somebody your friend?" asked Thomas.

"Only through highly controlled potions" Harry replied as Thomas slowed more and more as they approached the goods yard. "After the last great magical war, the making of those potions was highly restricted to our version of the police"

"Botheration… I've got a signal against me" Thomas noted. Harry and the Fat Controller looked forwards and saw the engine was right and, with skilled practice, they brought the train to a halt. After the Fat Controller had climbed down to walk to the SPT to find out what the matter was, Harry's phone started ringing and he fished it out his pocket and accepted the call.

" _Harry, its Nyssa. Your friend won't wake up and is shaking all over. I called that Doctor woman of yours, but she doesn't know what to do_ "

"Is he saying anything?" Harry asked as he glanced at his watch – he had two hours to go until his shift was over.

" _Just asking for flowers_ "

" _Flowers_? Look, I'll try to get home as quick as I can… Use the Floo to get in touch with Hermione and Susan and let them both know what's happening – got to go" and he said goodbye as the Fat Controller climbed back onto the footplate.

"The signaller says that his panel shows we've got a clear road ahead, but the signal itself shows danger"

"Proceed at Caution?" and the other man nodded.

"I bet its naughty boys from the school nearby" the Fat Controller said as he busied himself at Thomas's controls and started them moving at a very slow speed.

"They are always cutting the wires from the signals – I wonder why they do it" Thomas said.

"Because they are very naughty boys… I've talked to their Headmaster, Thomas, but Mr Dursley doesn't seem to want to do anything about it" the Fat Controller told the engine.

"Dursley? I used to live with people called the Dursleys"

"Maybe they are related" Thomas said. "It might be nice for you to see them if they are your family"

"Not really, my friend"

"What about sending your friend to Crewe? Its where we sent Henry"

"Humans do not work like that" Harry said sadly.

"I know… When we have worn out parts, we get them changed for new parts. It's a shame you can't do that with humans" Thomas was quiet for a moment "I miss my old drivers and firemen"

"A wise woman once told me that everything has its place and everything has its time" Harry said. "You engines could run on forever"

"I wish we didn't" and Harry glanced at the frowning Fat Controller who shrugged.

"But you have good times all the same, right?" he asked. "I mean you remember all of them"

"But sometimes they forget me" Thomas shuddered in his frames – something he never did unless he was utterly depressed or frightened. "I remember they brought one of my old drivers to come and see me from the old drivers' home… But he didn't seem to remember me at all – even when I sounded my whistle like we used to do to scare Gordon sometimes. He just sat in a wheelchair pointing at me and demanded to know who I was and why I had a face. He looked really thin as if he hadn't been eating at all and eating is what keeps people going – just like engines and coal! People told me it was because he wasn't thinking right anymore. He seemed to sort of remember something when they let him sit in the cab when we did some shunting of coaches. He must have been really tired, though, because he died the next day"

"Ah, I see" Harry cringed and wondered how to explain to a steam engine what Alzheimer's Syndrome was.

"Sometimes I think forever is too long"

"I think so too" Harry replied.

"I wish I could talk to the Thin Clergyman" Thomas went on, "But he got so old that he was worn out and died too… Harry? Sir?"

"Yes?" they both said at the same time.

"Can engines die too?"

"Great…" groaned the Fat Controller, "I'm driving an existentialist"

"No you're not" said Thomas a bit happier, "I'm a tank engine"

 **A/N:**

 **So, what could this "flower" be? Will Dean be proven innocent?**

 **What about a Muggle now leading one of the old families?**

 **As for Harry and the Fat Controller's discussion at the end with Thomas, I was thinking that his drivers and firemen over the years must have retired – perhaps one of them suffered with a mental illness. Thomas clearly thought he was there to be cheered up, but how can you tell a very wise steam engine with the occasional thinking process of a child about mental illness? I dearly hope I have written that part well…**

 **As always, reviews please**

 **Regards,**

 **Pixel**


	13. The Truth…

**The Truth…**

Harry gave it a final wipe before dropping the oily rag back into the box. He was cleaning the inside of Gordon The Big Engine ready for a long run to Barrow for a special event to mark the start of through services between the island and the mainland. Gordon was feeling very pleased as he was going to be allowed to represent the North Western Railway along with Thomas and a few coaches to give the appearance of an express train. Whilst there, he was going to pull the train full of enthusiasts over something called the "S&C" which was a line that Gordon had never travelled before.

"You've done a good job" the engine said to Harry, "But its almost night time now… Shouldn't you be at home having your dinner?"

"Yes, but Nyssa knows where I am and she doesn't mind. After all, we have to go without things if we're to make you look all shiny and clean and important for tomorrow"

"I'm not a dictator"

"Oh?" Harry raised an eyebrow in amusement.

"Maybe I _am_ " Gordon chuckled. "I heard from Thomas about your friend… Is he going to be alright?"

"Yeah… The police will find who did it and put them in prison"

"You mean those magic police"

"I forgot you knew… I have to be so careful about discussions to do with magic"

"All the engines know about magic after all – remember the tale of the lost engine who came back to us" and Harry frowned.

"I saw the movie" he said after a moment's thought.

"Ah… I say, will you be coming with us to this event?"

"I don't think so" Harry replied. "The roster hasn't been posted but I'm very well down the list of seniority so I doubt it. I'd like to fire a nice train of trucks"

"Trucks?" Gordon muttered.

"Yes, Gordon, trucks… Full of things that people in hard to reach places need badly. You know that the mountain road collapsed and the people there need food, drink and wood for their fires"

"A rescue party? Perhaps I should lead it"

"Yes, but what about all those people waiting to see you? Besides, James should pull this one"

"Why?"

"The train is called 'Operation Bootlace'" and Gordon laughed.

"Oh, the humour… Oh, the humour…"

"Well, I'm all done" Harry flicked his wand at the equipment and they all went back into their right places in the three boxes he had brought with him. "You be sure to have a good time on the mainland and give them hell"

"If I wanted to give them hell" Gordon said as he settled down to sleep, "The Fat Controller would have sent Percy instead"

#

"What are we doing here?" asked Dean. Harry had apperated home before a quick shower and sitting down to a beautiful dinner cooked by Nyssa. He'd spoken to her briefly when he'd got back and she told him Dean had done nothing but watch the distant trains pass by the windows.

"We're all out of options but this" Harry said to him. "If anybody can find out what's happened to you, it will be the Goblins – you know I use to consult with them when I was DMLE head… They still owe me big style" and he led Dean and Nyssa inside.

"I've been wondering when you'd turn up" said Seamus. He was stood off to one side of the main floor with a pair of Goblins dressed in their finest.

"You know, they look kind of cute – can I get a life sized teddy of one?" asked Nyssa.

"No"

"Yes"

"We'll figure it out later… The main thing is to get Dean tested by your people as quickly as possible" Harry said. "Seamus, are you ready to help?" and the Irishman nodded.

"Anything for Dean" he said. "I want to know what the hell happened to Melly and the kids" he added.

"This way" the older of the two Goblins said. "Is the young lady coming too?" he asked.

"Yes, but only to the chamber – she's not coming in"

"Harry?"

"It's a magic thing, Nyssa… If something happens, we can throw up a shield charm – you can't" Harry explained kindly. "But you stand outside and stop anybody trying to get in who you think looks dodgy"

"How?"

"With this" and pulled out a stun gun which he handed to her. "I've changed it inside so that instead of wires it shoots out small darts – that ought to confuse people enough for Goblins to arrive"

"Shocking" Nyssa giggled.

#

"I have to warn you that the events you are going to recall will be shown as a projection in the viewing globe" Ragnock said. He had been waiting for them in the chamber deep under the level of Diagon Alley and assisted in getting the devices ready for Dean.

"I know – if it helps me to find who did this to me and my family, I am willing to put up with going through the pain" Dean said as he sat in the only chair in the chamber.

"Perhaps humans can be as tough as us" said one of the other Goblins.

"Humans can be as fearsome and warlike as us, love like a Veela, be as reckless as a Troll, more intelligent than a Centaur… They can do anything they want when they put their minds to it" and Harry looked at his two things with amusement – Goblins were not in the habit of paying compliments like this. After another minute of making adjustments, Dean was pronounced as being ready to start.

"I must ask you, Wizard, if you are really certain of this"

"I am" Dean's voice was shaky but determined. Ragnock said something in the Goblin tongue and all the devices started to glow as several small glass orbs floated upwards, took position around Dean's head and began to spin round. Within a few seconds, an image in the viewing globe faded into view and they saw the events of the incident.

" _Melly, you've outdone yourself once again"_

" _You say that every time"_

" _You do, daddy… You must be getting really old"_ said Dean's daughter.

" _Not too old to send you to bed without a bedtime story_ " the memory Dean chuckled as his daughter shut up and started slamming food down her throat. After some light chatter, there was a knock at the door and Dean had got up to answer it.

" _What…"_ was all he got out before he was hit by a beam of pearl white magic. In the globe, Harry and the others knew exactly who had entered the house and Harry barely held on to his anger before magic escaped him. They watched the family be stunned, as one of the pair took some hair from Dean and used Polyjuice, then as Dean's wife was raped and slaughtered and finally ending with every bone of his children being broken before their throats were slit and they flopped helplessly on the floor until they gave a final twitch and remained still. The other person transformed a little and then started to defile the bodies which had even the Goblins furious – then the globe went to a gun metal grey and the orbs stopped rotating and returned to their box.

"How… After everything I did…?" Harry shook his head. "Do you know where they are?"

"I do not know where the Auror might be" said Ragnock, "But the other… Would you like me to summon her?"

"No" Dean answered for him. He was shaking from the trauma he was going through and it took a lot of effort for him to stand. "I have a much better idea"

#

Harry and Nyssa sat next to each other as Dean was brought into the chamber and placed in the roughly cut wood and metal chair with the chains loosely draped over his arms and round his legs. Orrock waited for people to settle down before looking at the paperwork before him and banging a small gavel in front of him. Harry had informed him of his plan, shown him the evidence privately and the Chief Warlock had instantly agreed to do as he had been asked.

"We are now in session" he said. "The accused has been returned to the custody of the Department for Magical Law Enforcement. Evidence has been presented to me and I have accepted it as truth – members will be given copies later if they so wish it. Does anybody have anything to say before I make the traditional question?" but nobody did. People wondered why there was a heavy Auror presence in the courtroom, but they guessed they were there to try and stop Harry if he tried to break out the defendant. "Very well" Orrock said and looked around his courtroom before steadying his nerves. "You stand accused of murder, you stand accused of torture, you stand accused of rape and you stand accused of treason. How do you answer these charges..." the Chief Warlock turned his head slightly to the right, "…Fleur Weasley and Auror Gillyflower?"

 **A/N:**

 **Yes, a short chapter, but I simply could not think of anything else and so decided a short chapter with a massive wham ending was the way to go**

 **As always, reviews please**

 **Regards,**

 **Pixel**


	14. Harry's Life and Secret…

**Harry's Life and Secret…**

"You knew?" Gillyflower asked. "How could you have found out?"

"Lucky guess" Harry said. "That and a look inside the memories of Dean" and the Auror simply nodded in defeat and tossed his wand away – thinking he would never use it again.

"I will not allow a filthy halfblood and mudblood to accuse me!" Fleur yelled and started firing deadly spells at everybody she could see. She transformed into her full Veela self and flung fireballs all over the courtroom with most people taking cover.

"I want that bitch alive" Dean growled.

"So do I" Harry casting a shield in front of him. "Nyssa, stay here. If you look to be in danger, use your Portkey" and the two wizards jumped over the table they had been covering behind and started attacking Fleur with spell after spell. The Auror guard and the cadets tried to help, but the French witch was almost too powerful and she lay most of them down with massive injuries. Only Harry, Dean and Susan still stood and they combined their attacks in order to subdue her. Fleur had almost managed to get an escape when the doors to the courtroom opened and another Veela, this one a little smaller, walked in and stared at her.

"Hello sister" Gabrielle Delacour said and slugged her to the side of the head – sending Fleur to the stone floor like a sack of potatoes. "Have you missed me?"

"Gabby" Harry nodded as he panted from lack of breath, "Good to see you"

"I wish it was under better circumstances" the younger Veela slid back into her preferred human form and looked down at her sister. "I bring official notice from the Ministry of my country" she said. "They say 'That bitch is all yours'… She is banned from entering France and is exiled from the French Veela groups" and she looked up to gaze at Dean sadly. "Sir, I am sorry for the loss of your wife and the shame that it has brought upon my family and of all Veela. Is there anything we can do to try and wash the shame away?"

"Yeah" Dean said, "Tell me how much truth serum can that slag actually hold…?"

#

"Sit down, Weasley" the goblin said. Bill Weasley sat down in the only other chair in the office and try not to show the nerves he had from being dragged from his office at the bank to meet the Bank manager and leader of the British Goblins.

"What is the matter?"

"Did you know what your wife has done in regards to Mr Dean Thomas and his family?" asked Ragnock.

"How do you mean?" blinked Bill.

"Your wife aided the rape, torture and murder of Thomas's wife and children along with an Auror"

"Oh" Bill shrugged, "I thought she might have got away with that" and there was an angry yell from behind and he glanced over his shoulder to see Dean break his nose with a left hook.

"YOU BASTARD!" he yelled and he had to be restrained before he waded in and ripped Bill to shreds.

"No" Harry said, "Let the Aurors take him for interrogation… I am sure they will want to find out their own sweet methods"

"If they do not" said one of the Goblins, "Then _we_ will"

"Thank you" said Dean and gave Bill a swift kick in the ribs.

"We will hold him until the Aurors arrive" Ragnock said. "We promise that he will be alive when it happens" and he looks at the groaning figure. "You're fired"

# # # # #

"I can't believe it" Harry sat down heavily in his living room. "I've stood beside the three of them in battle, I knew all of them well…" he shook his head.

"There was no way to know" Nyssa said gently.

"Maybe not with Fleur or Bill, but I should have guessed with Gillyflower – should have gutted that bastard after he raped you" he spat.

"I would have helped you" Dean said. "Susan, is this a matter for the Ministry or can I sue them in court privately?"

"Both, but you have better luck with your leaving it to us" the former Hufflepuff remarked. "The problem I have is what we do to them"

"Prosecute them and kill them?" Hermione arched an eyebrow.

"No, I mean to Gillyflower's children and the Weasley girl"

"Damn, forgot about that" Harry hung his head.

"What?" asked Nyssa.

"Under our laws, Nys, the entire family of the perpetrators are executed in front of them before sentence is carried out. Its barbaric, and that's why it was banned. Unfortunately, they carried out the attack six hours before the new law came into effect – the old law must be carried out" Harry sighed, gestured to a bottle of whiskey on the sideboard and pointed to several glasses.

"Is there any way out of it?" asked Nyssa.

"I hope so – I don't want to murder children like they did" Dean sipped his drink.

"Maybe there is" a quiet voice from the back said. "I don't know how this would apply to the Weasley daughter, but there is a chance we can save the Gillyflower children. What if we used the old Head of House laws?" Lavender smirked with mischief at the thought of getting one over Hermione.

"Aren't they a wee bit young for that?" asked Hannah.

"Not really. Harry was the Head of his family from the moment his parents died"

"So how does that help us?" Dean asked.

"We declare that Gillyflower is no longer fit to lead his House. Control then passes to the next oldest down the line, although in this case they are twins. We ask the twins if they know how nasty their father has been and if he should be kicked out the family as a result" Hermione was seeing where Lavender was going.

"The net result is that we kick him out the family and save the lives of the kids – I like that idea" Harry nodded. "But first" his tome grew darker, "We'll have to resort to some very brutal techniques"

#

"I can tell you were holding something back when we all met" said Nyssa once the others had left.

"Yeah… Susan slipped me a copy of the autopsy done on Dean wife – she was expecting twins"

"My Lord" Nyssa crossed herself and muttered a short prayer under her breath. "I hope they burn in hell" she added.

"So do I… The full interrogations start tomorrow, I'm going along with the rest of my former command staff to oversee it all, but I want you to go to school as normal"

"Why?"

"Long story short, there are some things that you are not meant to see. I have accommodated every last request you have made of me, but this is something that I forbid you to view"

"I'm going" Nyssa insisted.

"Nyssa, I will have you stunned and bound if that's what it will take… Trust when I say that I can see such things but you should not"

"I'm almost grown up now, we're getting married and you want to keep this away from me?" Nyssa glared at him with folded arms.

"I know you had to go through it all with the aftermath of your rape, but that's nothing compared to what we're going to do later with the prisoners. We're not going to rape them, but we're going to do more than just magical torture" Harry explained it bluntly.

"Oh"

# # # # #

Whatever had been found, Harry kept it to himself as he rose in the early hours of the morning, dressed, picked up his kit and made his way outside to the car. He'd been made a driver on local workings around the docks and a few short freights which had pleased Harry greatly. Arriving at the shed, he signed on and checked the late notice case which told of a section of single line working between Knapford Harbour and Knapford South Junction. He walked out to find he was going to be driving Thomas which lifted his spirits somewhat – he and the blue tank engine got along very well.

"Hello, Thomas"

"Hello, Harry… been up to anything wizardy?" the engine asked cheekily.

"Oh, just learning how to turn tank engines into mice"

"Of course you can…" snorted Thomas. Harry looked around and then transfigured the engine into a mouse for a second before setting him back to rights. "Okay, I believe you. It will be nice to do some simple freight runs today… I've been shunting a lot of coaches lately, so its good to stretch my wheels"

"There is something to be said for the simple life from time to time" Harry agreed as he walked around the engine.

"You seem bothered by something" Thomas said as Harry paused by his front.

"I am… Two people I thought I knew very well have betrayed me, Thomas, and done some very terrible things indeed"

"Oh" Thomas said and tried hard to think of something else to say. "Why don't you tell me about it and maybe I can help"

"I… Maybe later" Harry said as the fireman came up to them with a set of written instructions in a leather case.

"Light engine to Knapford South Junction, whistle for the wrong road and then caution for the down Harbour" the man said with a touch of Scots in his accent.

"Right – check the fire"

"Sure… I thought you might want to know because you're young"

"And what does that mean?"

"Well, the others think you must be bribing the old man to be a driver so quickly"

"You want to shut that mouth of your before I do it for you?" Harry growled.

"Like to see a young whipper snapper like you try it"

"Either you shut up or I get another fireman" Harry said. Thomas, for his part, stayed quiet and merely watched proceedings because he didn't want to be turned into a mouse again.

"Whatever" and the Fireman climbed up to the cab.

"Idiot" Harry muttered. He made the decision to give most of the work to the Fireman in order to teach him manners.

#

They ran light engine to collect their trucks, ran to the sidings and waited for an hour while they were all loaded with cement, planks of wood, nails, stone and a lot of tools needed to repair the Harbour's walls which had been damaged in a storm a few weeks previously. Once delivered, they returned light engine back up to the junction where they were asked to work a short passenger train from Knapford to Elsbridge because Duck had failed with a stuck injector. After ensuring that that was as far as they were going to go, as Harry did not sign the line past that station, Harry backed Thomas onto the two coaches and waited for the signal to start. While he was waiting, he allowed his thoughts to mull over the interrogations and the extent of what Fleur and Gillyflower had planned to do together. The betrayal of the Auror hurt Harry a lot because of the second chance he had given him, but that of Fleur had wounded him deeply because they had been friends and stood together in war. Although in theory subject to Goblin law, they'd taken one look at Harry and let the Ministry have all responsibility for her. After a rather painful and gruelling questioning, it had turned out that although Bill Weasley had not taken part in the attacks, he knew of them and had not stopped them or alerted the Aurors. As a result, he was fined every last coin in his account, had it shut down and then stripped naked and dumped in a certain club in Soho after being fired.

Harry sometimes wondered about the sanity of the Goblin people…

"Are we going to take a return service?" Thomas's question confused him for a moment as he came back to reality.

"I don't know" Harry replied, rubbing his chin in thought.

"It would be nice to pull a passenger train after all this work on the rebuilding" the tank engine sighed wistfully.

"You just want to get back to Annie and Clarabelle" Harry chuckled.

"Of course. I know Percy will look after them, but I'd rather look after them myself. They are my very best friends" Thomas added proudly.

"I am sure they are fine… I saw them yesterday and they seemed happy enough" Harry shrugged and tapped a gauge and inspected the reading. "Hmm… Steam pressure is a little low – how do you feel?"

"Like I could beat Gordon with the express"

"Well no speed trials please" Harry cautioned him. Thomas, for his part, knew his driver was worried about him and treated the reply seriously.

"Yes, Sir… I will take very great care. Maybe, though, its due to all the slow running I have been doing"

"Maybe" Harry agreed, "But then again it could also be a faulty gauge"

"If its faulty, shouldn't I be a failed engine?"

"Ah" Harry said wisely, "We only _suspect_ it of being faulty. You just shout out if you feel unwell" and he tapped the glass again before shrugging to himself.

"What sort of fire do you want?" asked the rude Fireman as he climbed up into Thomas's cab.

"Just give me the normal sort, but don't push it… We have a suspect glass and I don't know if its just a bit of low pressure in the pipes or if we're a failed engine"

"Regulations say we have to fail if you are in doubt"

"It could also be a result of not having enough water – something I said to take care of" and Harry was furious to see the Fireman suddenly turn as white as a sheet.

"Oh my God… I knew there was something I'd forgotten"

"I'll deal with this later… Get on the platform and bring that hose over and shove it in the water tank quickly" Harry ordered as he cast a wordless spell to make the water go faster.

"Right" and the man scrambled down to do his task.

#

By the time they got to Elsbridge, Harry and Thomas's suspicisions were correct and the gauge read quite normal. He still intended to report the matter to the Running Foreman when they got back to the shed, but, for now, he waited until they were uncoupled before going into the headshunt and waiting for the points to switch so they could run around their train and head for Knapford and home. As they watched other trains passing by, Thomas wondered if Harry was going to be alright. Whatever was bothering the Wizard, it had to be a really big upset to make him moody at times. The engine couldn't think of a time that he had been betrayed by a friend, but he imagined that he would be very upset indeed.

"Do you know if we're running back in service or ECS?" Thomas asked as Harry walked up from where he had been talking to the Elsbridge stationmaster.

"We're to wait until the fast train has passed through and then we follow as a relief" he replied as he gripped the poles on the side of Thomas's cab and hauled himself up inside. "I shouldn't think we'll be that full, but we might get a few late people" he said. "How are you feeling?"

"Fine"

"Good… I've phoned ahead and found out we'll to dispose of the coaches ourselves and then go on the engine siding as standby engine" Harry said. "Bobby will give us the signal in a minute to go onto the train" and, as he spoke, the signal changed and allowed them to move around the coaches and then back onto the train. They waited for the Guard's whistle before Harry eased the brakes off and moved the regulator forward to allow Thomas to start back. They puffed along the line on a beautiful sunny afternoon, keeping an eye out for a sudden change in signals or an obstruction on the line, but finding none as they journeyed towards Toryreck.

"Hullo, driver, had a word from the signal box for you to call him on the SPT when you got in" one of the platform staff said as she passed by with some parcels.

"Right-o" Harry sighed, thinking it was going to be one of those days. He walked along the platform and picked up the phone to talk to the signaller. "Hello, signaller… Driver of Two Zulu Zero One standing at your Tango Romeo One One signal"

"Hello Driver of Two Zulu Zero One standing at my Tango Romeo One One signal" came the surprising voice of a female signaller. It wasn't that Harry was sexist at all, but knew there weren't all that many women working in boxes. "What's happened is that the fast train has broken down after hitting something placed on the track. The train is only a few miles up the line and I want to know if you would move forward and assist from the rear"

"Depends on what the problem is – I'm hauling two coaches with a tank engine"

"They said the rods have been badly damaged. They have managed to get them both off, but can't move without another engine to tow them in. Normally, we'd wait for the standby engine to come from Knapford, but it's a charter for orphaned and disadvantaged kids and it will take at least an hour to arrive"

"Alright" Harry said instantly, "I'll go to the assistance of the failed unit. I understand that I have permission from the Toryreck signaller to run on the down line with another train in the section. Driver out" and he hung up the phone and closed the door to the SPT before walking back to the train. "The fast has been failed because of an object put on the track. They have got the rods off, but need us to push it to Dryaw where a couple of buses will get the children back to Knapford" he said.

"That will take them ages" the Fireman said.

"What if we pushed our coaches to the back of the failed train, ran round and then towed it all the way to Knapford?" suggested Thomas. "We might be late with our own train, but we could just drop them off at the junction if Toby could meet us there for the last mile"

"Are you up for it?" asked Harry.

"Yes – I don't want to let the children down. That would cause…"

"Confusion and delay" the two humans said together.

"Right, well you go tell the passengers what is happening and I will go speak to the signaller about the change of plans"

#

"Thomas is late arriving with his relief train… What has happened to him?" asked the Fat Controller.

"Him and his crew were asked to assist a train that had broken down because something was put on the track in front of it. It damaged the engine pulling the special fast and that's why, Sir" said the Knapford stationmaster.

"Why didn't they just ask for buses at Dryaw?" wondered the Fat Controller.

"I don't know, Sir, but I can try and find out for you" the man said. The Fat Controller nodded and was just about to turn back to his paperwork when a quiet cheer sounded on the platforms. Underneath the cries, the two men could hear a steam engine panting hard at work with what sounded like a heavy load. They dashed outside to see Thomas wheezing, moaning, groaning, panting and wheeshing his way into Platform 1 hauling James, Henry, a rake of express coaches and two secondary line coaches at the rear. As the slow train moved under the canopy, Thomas let out a tired but triumphant series of whistles before coming to a halt at the end of the platform – everybody could see that there was no way that Thomas could move another inch under his own steam after such a feat for a tank engine.

"What has happened here?" asked the Fat Controller as he walked up to Thomas's cab side to speak to the engine and his crew.

"We were asked to assist a failed engine when we were coming back with a relief train, Sir" Harry replied as he gulped down an ice cold drink somebody shoved into his hands. "When we got to Dryaw, we were told that the standby engine was already out on a call and that the buses were on strike. After a discussion with Thomas, we decided we couldn't let the children down and made the choice to keep going. We were not doing too badly until we found James stuck further along the line with a broken reverser stuck in neutral. We shunted him in front of Henry and hauled the train all the way here, Sir, so the children could get home without being too late at all"

"I see… Thomas, you and your crew have been really useful even if it has been in an unconventional way. You have brought not only your train home again, but rescued two failed engines and a failed train" the Fat Controller praised him.

"I thought pushing Bear and Spam Can was tough enough for me" Henry said with disbelief edging into his voice, "But for Thomas to do all this is nothing short of amazing. I think he just about burst his pipes with all the effort of doing the best he could…"

"May he go to the works in front of us?" James added. "We don't mind waiting a few days until he's fixed"

"I shall send for Percy to tow you to the sheds, Thomas, and then I will send you to the Works in the morning"

"Actually… I… want… to… go… myself" the little tank engine managed to say through the aches and pains he was suffering. The fireman had uncoupled him from the extended train, got back on the footplate and Thomas whistled away, oozing steam out of many joints and valves, to the sheds where he could be safely disposed of after as much water as he could handle. As he painfully made his way there, other engines offered to push or pull him to the shed, but Thomas gamely and valiantly refused all offers until his wheels touched the buffers at the water siding.

#

The next morning, Thomas was loaded onto a special wagon and taken on the back of a goods train to the Works where he would be sorted out and be as good as new. Harry, though, had the day off from work so he made sure to have a filling breakfast before he had to go to the Ministry and see what else had been discovered from the questioning of Fleur and Gillyflower. Apart from that, Nyssa had repeated her request to be put under two of the Unforgivables which had set Harry off into a blind rage and made the girl back off and call Hermione, Susan and Hannah to explain it all to her. It took some effort, but they understood that Harry, uniquely, had been put under all three of them during his lifetime and would never cast them on another human being to cause pain and suffering. Nyssa, after reading some books and reports they had slipped her, couldn't help but wonder how on earth he was still alive. She decided to drop the matter and helped Harry to prepare for his meeting whilst she was at school. Harry was reading through the reports when the others arrived in his office – the best furnished out of the whole lot. He looked at Dean who seemed to have aged thirty years since his family was tortured, raped and murdered and noted he looked especially depressed.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"Those bastards have lodged not guilty pleas and so the DMLE won't release the bodies incase they want to perform tests" Dean said hollowly. "Why can't they just let me bury my wife and children?"

"They know they are going to be sent down for death, so they want to cause as much pain as possible" Hermione shrugged. "Of course, you could return the favour by hurting his children"

"Whatever those bastards have done to me, I will not stoop to their level by harming children" Dean shook his head.

"Well they are yours to deal with now" Hannah said.

"Actually, its Harry's – I sort of became a vassal House thingie-ma-bob so that I would be protected by him. We all know what its like to be black around here"

"I think Gringotts are looking after them due to the entire forfeiture of the pair's accounts and items" Harry shrugged. "The main thing is to see if we can get them a speedy one day trial as everything has been revealed"

"It might not be easy" Susan commented.

"Tell them that if they don't get a one day trial, I will personally rip the arms out of each and every one of them"

"Will you?"

"Maybe" Harry said simply. "Who do you have planned to be your lawyer?" he asked Dean.

"Well that's the other problem" he said. "I can't seem to find one that will not charge the earth… Even if it is a sure case anyway" and Dean looked up. "Would you do it for me?" he asked Hermione.

"Sure…" the woman replied.

"I'll go and deal with the Goblins" Harry said. "They owe me a great many number of favours"

"You would they were reaching the limit of those" Dean remarked.

"They have a debt that can never be repaid, Dean… Not while I draw breath"

"One of these days, Harry, you're going to have to tell me what you have over them" Hermione sighed and sipped the tea in front of her.

# # # # #

"I didn't think you would be back before me" Nyssa said that evening as she came home from an after school activity – Harry was sat with a half full bottle of whiskey in the living room with a triple measure of it in a glass before him.

"I had to visit somebody after I met at the Ministry" Harry didn't sound drunk, but he didn't sound sober either. As she stepped closer, Nyssa saw he had been crying at some point in time.

"I'm guessing it wasn't a good thing"

"No… I went to school with this person for years, she took part in the Battle of Hogwarts, never got the recognition she deserved and then was killed in one of the most horrific ways possible – even by magical standards"

"I'm… Sorry?" she didn't intend to make it sound like a question.

"How she died is one of the main reasons I won't put the _Imperio_ on you no matter how much you ask" Harry drained his glass and filled it to the brim. "It happened three years ago. I had been seeing her for a while despite the fact I was engaged to marry Ginny Weasley. We… We were intimate for a while and then she suddenly seemed to change and said she couldn't see me anymore. The next day, we got a report of a group of idiots trying to restart the Death Eaters in the Sussex countryside, so I gathered all the Aurors I could find and headed there to take care of the problem"

"Was she there?"

"Oh yes…" Harry seemed to have more tears in his eyes. "The place was old, very old, and we found most of them in the dungeons torturing Muggles and Muggle Born into insanity and death. It wasn't just adults either – babies and children were being done just as easily. We came upon a massive oak door that ended up being demolished by blasting hexes and we found the senior Death Eaters with a group of Goblins living up to their name"

"I don't understand" Nyssa said, though an unsettling feeling was forming in her stomach.

"No…" Harry shook his head sadly, "You really don't, do you? They had a couple of people laying on tables and they were feasting on their flesh"

"Cannibals" Nyssa suddenly felt a little sick.

"Yeah – but not in the traditional way. The people they were eating were still alive… Their magic prevented them dying until the heart was ripped out which was the last thing to do. Imagine the pain and suffering they went through during it, double it, double it again and you'd still never understand it, Nyssa… The most senior of the senior circle was eating Sue. When I saw what they had done to her, I got a little upset"

"How… How upset?"

"After I was done, they had to bring in magic aware Muggles to do a DNA test on the blood" Harry had another drink, thought about it, then flicked his fingers and a glass of the stuff appeared in front of Nyssa. "You look as if you could do with it. Those unfortunate to survive were questioned with truth serum and it turned out that each of the victims was put under multiple spells to amuse their captors. The ones ' _chosen_ ' to be eaten alive were put under the _Imperio_ spell and made to carve their own flesh off and serve it on silver platters. By the time I got to Sue, it was fair too late to help her except to ease her suffering"

"You euthanized her" Nyssa said. She felt awkward in that it was the right thing to do, but her religion forbid it and she made a note to visit the Father in the morning and ask for advice on the subject.

"It was the only thing I could do, Nys, and I know how that sits with you and the big guy in the Vatican" Harry looked at the bottle of whiskey before tapping it. Nyssa watched as the bottle floated up and into the kitchen. "Afterwards, I got back with Ginny and thought things were going perfectly until Shaklebolt tried his game, I quit being the head Auror and DMLE chief and came here"

"Harry?"

"Yes?"

"Will you tell me more about this Sue? I mean it can't be Susan because I know she is alive"

"Sure" Harry shrugged. "Sue was small, slightly delicate, but damned powerful in a fight. She had the blackest hair that you could imagine, and, even after she graduated Hogwarts, looked smoking hot in her uniform. She was half Chinese you know – her father had come here during the back end of Mao's leadership and settled with a British witch and had just her. Most people forgot that she existed at all, but she could talk like the devil when she got going. Everything she did was done with grace, style, passion and control – not a breath was wasted if she could help it. Despite her training as a formidable warrior for the Light, she was a damned gentle soul and I loved spending time with her… You might blush at this, but we used to go camping with a tent charmed like the ceiling in the Great Hall at Hogwarts so you could see the sky outside. We used to make love under the stars and then lay naked as it rained – she used to call it the washing away of Mankind's sins for another day…" and Nyssa gave him an encouraging smile as he sat back and told her everything long into the evening and on into the night.

 **A/N:**

 **Sorry for the long breaks in uploading, but I've been suffering from writers block and this, maybe slightly rambling chapter, is what I have worked on for a few weeks now. I just hope that you enjoy another piece of life on the Island of Sodor and why Harry refuses to use** _ **Imperio**_ **on Nyssa…**

 **As always, reviews please**

 **Regards,**

 **Pixel**


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